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The  True  Vine 


By  Rev*  Andrew  Murray, 

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THE  TRt%«J^^E;.^ 


Meditations  for  a  Month 
on  John  xv:    1-16  .... 


BY      fy 
REV.  ANDREW  MURRAY 


"  The  mystery  which  hath  been  hid  from  ages,  but 
now  is  made  manifest  to  His  saints:  to  whom  God 
would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
this  mystery  ;  .  .  .  which  is  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of 
glory/'— Col.  i.  26,  27. 


New  York      Chicago      Toronto 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 

Publishers  of  Evangelical  Literature 


Copyright,  1898 

by 

Fleming  H.  Rbvell  Compaky 


ONLY  A  BRANCH 

"I  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  Branches."— John  xv.  5. 

'Tis  only  a  little  Branch, 

A  thing  so  fragile  and  weak, 
But  that  little  Branch  hath  a  message  true 

To  give,  could  it  only  speak. 

"  I'm  only  a  little  Branch, 
I  live  by  a  life  not  mine, 
For  the  sap  that  flows  through  my  tendrils  small 
Is  the  life-blood  of  the  Vine. 

"  No  power  indeed  have  I 

The  fruit  of  myself  to  bear. 
But  since  I'm  part  of  the  living  Vine, 
Its  fruitfulness  I  share. 

"  Dost  thou  ask  how  I  abide  ? 

How  this  life  I  can  maintain  ? — 
I  am  bound  to  the  Vine  by  life's  strong  band, 
And  I  only  need  remain. 

"  Where  first  my  life  was  given. 
In  the  spot  where  I  am  set, 
Upborne  and  upheld  as  the  days  go  by. 
By  the  stem  which  bears  me  yet. 

5 


"  I  fear  not  the  days  to  come, 
I  dwell  not  upon  the  past, 
As  moment  by  moment  I  draw  a  life, 
Which  for  evermore  shall  last. 

"  I  bask  in  the  sun's  bright  beams, 
"Which  with  sweetness  fills  my  fruit. 
Yet  I  own  not  the  clusters  hanging  there, 
For  they  all  come  from  the  root." 

A  life  which  is  not  my  own, 

But  another's  life  in  me  : 
This,  this  is  the  message  the  Branch  would  speak, 

A  message  to  thee  and  me. 

O  struggle  not  to  "  abide," 

Nor  labor  to  «<  bring  forth  fruit," 
But  let  Jesus  unite  thee  to  Himself, 

As  the  Vine  Branch  to  the  root. 

So  simple,  so  deep,  so  strong 

That  union  with  Him  shall  be  : 
His  life  shall  forever  replace  thine  own, 

And  His  love  shall  flow  through  thee. 

For  His  Spirit's  fruit  is  love, 

And  love  shall  thy  life  become, 
And  for  evermore  on  His  heart  of  love 

Thy  spirit  shall  have  her  home. 

Freda  Hanbury. 


PREFACE 

Not   long  after  the   publication   of 
Abide  in  Christ,  I  received  a  request  to 
prepare  an  edition,  shorter  and  simpler, 
for  the  use  of  young  people  who  know 
and  love  the  Lord  Jesus.     I  was  never 
able  to  do  this.     Since  that  time  the 
wonderful  parable  which  was  the  text 
of  that  book,  with  its  Divine  simplicity 
and  its  inexhaustible  riches,  has  been 
becoming  more  precious  than  ever.     I 
feel  as  if  there  is  not  a  passage  in  God's 
Word   in  which    our   union   to  Christ 
Jesus,  with  its  call  to  entire  consecra- 
:tion,  its  privileges  of  unbounded  con- 
fidence, its   power   of    abounding   joy, 
much  fruitfulness,  and  prevailing  prayer, 
IS   put  with  equal   clearness  or  force. 
jAnd  I  have  felt  drawn  to  try  to  write 


Preface 

what  young  Christians  might  easily  ap- 
prehend, as  a  help  to  them  to  take  up 
that  position  in  which  the  Christian  life; 
must  be  a  success.  It  is  as  if  there  is 
not  one  of  the  principal  temptations 
and  failures  of  the  Christian  life  that  is 
not  met  here.  The  nearness,  the  all- 
sufficiency,  the  faithfulness  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  the  naturalness,  the  fruitfulness 
of  a  life  of  faith,  are  so  revealed,  that 
it  is  as  if  one  could  with  confidence  say, 
Let  the  parable  enter  into  the  heart, 
and  all  will  be  right. 

May  the  blessed  Lord  give  the  bless- 
ing.    May  He   teach   us   to   study  the 
mystery  of   the   Vine  in  the  spirit  of 
,  worship,  waiting  for  God's  own  teach- 
ing. 


CONTENTS 

DAY  PAGB 

Preface 7 

1.  The  Vine,                    Verse  i 11 

2.  The  Husbandman,          "     i 16 

3.  The  Branch,                    <•     2 21 

4.  The  Fruit,                       **     2 26 

5.  More  Fruit,                     "     2 31 

6.  The  Cleansing,               "     2 36 

7.  The  Pruning  Knife,       "     3 41 

8.  Abide,                                "     4 45 

9.  Except  ye  Abide,            "     4 49 

10.  I  the  Vine,                      "     5 54 

11.  Ye  the  Branches,           *<     5 59 

12.  Much  Fruit,                     "     5 64 

13.  You  can  do  Nothing,    ««     5 69 

14.  Withered  Branches,      "     6 74 

15.  Whatsoever  ye  Will,   "     7 78 

16.  If  Ye  Abide,                    "     7 83 

17.  The  Father  Glorified,  "     8 88 

18.  True  Disciples,               "     8 92 

19.  The  Wonderful  Love,  "     9 97 

20.  Abide  in  My  Love,         ♦«     9 102 

21.  Obey  and  Abide,             "    10 106 

22.  Ye,  even  as  I,                 "10 Ill 

9 


Contents 


DAY 

PAGB 

23- 

Joy, 

Verse 

II  .    . 

.     .       116 

24. 

Love  One  Another, 

« 

12  .    . 

.     .      121 

25- 

Even  as  I  Have  Loved 

You, 

« 

12  .   . 

.     .      126 

26. 

Christ's  Friendship  : 

Its 

Origin, 

<( 

13.   . 

.     .      '30 

27. 

Christ's  Friendship  : 

Its 

Evidence, 

« 

14-    • 

.     .      135 

28. 

Christ's  Friendship  : 

Its 

Intimacy, 

« 

15.   • 

.     .      140 

29. 

Election, 

« 

16.   . 

.     .      144 

30. 

Abiding  Fruit, 

it 

16.    . 

.     .      149 

31. 

Prevailing  Prayer, 

« 

16.   . 

.     .      154 

10 


1st  Day 


THE  VINE 

"I  AM  THE   TKUE  VINE." — John  XV,  U 

All  earthly  things  are  the  shadows 
of  heavenly  realities, — the  expression, 
in  created,  visible  forms,  of  the  invisi- 
ble glory  of  God.  The  Life  and  the 
Truth  are  in  heaven ;  on  earth  we  have 
figures  and  shadows  of  the  heavenly 
.truths.  When  Jesus  says:  I  am  the 
True  Vine,  He  tells  us  that  all  the 
vines  of  earth  are  pictures  and  em- 
Dlems  of  Himself.  He  is  the  Divine 
:eality,  of  which  they  are  the  created 
expression.  They  all  point  to  Him, 
ind  preach  Him,  and  reveal  Him.  If 
^ou  would  know  Jesus,  study  the  vine. 

How  many  eyes  have  gazed  on  and 
11 


The  True  Vine 

admired  the  great  vine  at  Hamptoi 
Court,  with  its  beautiful  fruit.  Come 
and  gaze  on  the  Heavenly  Vine  till  youj 
eye  turns  from  all  else  to  admire  Him 
How  many,  in  a  sunny  clime,  sit  anc 
rest  under  the  shadow  of  their  vinel 
Come  and  be  still  under  the  shadow  o: 
the  True  Vine,  and  rest  under  it  frorr 
the  heat  of  the  day.  What  counties^ 
numbers  rejoice  in  the  fruit  of  the 
vine.  Come,  and  take,  and  eat  of  the 
heavenly  fruit  of  the  True  Vine,  anc 
let  your  soul  say :  I  sat  under  His 
shadow  with  great  delight,  and  Hi^ 
fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste. 

I  AM  THE  True  Vine.  This  is  a 
heavenly  mystery.  The  earthly  vine 
can  teach  you  much  about  this  Vine  oi 
Heaven.  Many  interesting  and  beauti- 
ful points  of  comparison  suggest  them- 
selves, and  help  us  to  get  conceptions 
of  what  Christ  meant.  But  sucli 
thoughts  do  not  teach  us  to  know 
what  the  Heavenly  Vine  really  is,  ic 
12 


The  Vine 

its  cooling  shade,  and  its  life-giving 
fruit.  The  experience  of  this  is  part 
lof  the  hidden  mystery,  which  none  but 
iJesus  Himself,  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  can 
!unfold  and  impart. 

I  AM  THE  True  Vine.  The  vine  is 
the  Living  Lord,  who  Himself  speaks, 
and  gives,  and  works  all  that  He  has 
for  us.  If  you  would  know  the  mean- 
ing and  power  of  that  word,  do  not 
think  to  find  it  by  thought  or  study; 
these  may  help  to  show  you  what  you 
must  get  from  Him,  to  awaken  desire 
and  hope  and  prayer,  but  they  cannot 
show  you  the  Vine.  Jesus  alone  can 
reveal  Himself.  He  gives  His  Holy 
Spirit  to  open  the  eyes  to  gaze  upon 
Himself,  to  open  the  heart  to  receive 
Himself.  He  must  Himself  speak  the 
|word  to  you  and  me. 

I  AM  THE  True  Vine.  And  what 
|am  I  to  do,  if  I  want  the  mystery,  in 
all  its  heavenly  beauty  and  blessing, 
Dpened  up  to  me  ?  With  what  you  al- 
ls 


The  True  Vine 

ready  know  of  the  parable,  bow  down! 
and  be  still,  worship  and  wait,  until 
the  Divine  Word  enters  your  heart, 
and  you  feel  His  Holy  Presence  with 
you,  and  in  you.  The  overshadowing 
of  His  Holy  Love  will  give  you  the 
perfect  calm  and  rest  of  knowing  that 
the  Vine  will  do  all. 

I  AM  THE  True  Vine.  He  who 
speaks  is  God,  in  His  infinite  power 
able  to  enter  into  us.  He  is  man,  one 
with  us.  He  is  the  Crucified  One,  who 
won  a  perfect  righteousness  and  a  Di- 
vine life  for  us  through  His  death.  He 
is  the  glorified  One,  who  from  the 
throne  gives  His  Spirit  to  make  His 
Presence  real  and  true.  He  speaks — ■ 
oh !  listen,  not  to  His  words  only,  but 
to  Himself,  as  He  whispers  secretly  day 
by  day :  I  am  the  True  Vine.  All 
that  the  Vine  can  ever  be  to  its  branch, 

I  WILL  BE  TO  YOU. 

Holy  Lord  Jesus  !  the  Heavenly  Vine  of  God'fl 

own  planting,  I  beseech  Thee,  reveal  Thyself  to 

14 


The  Vine 

my  soul.  Let  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  in  thought, 
but  in  experience,  give  me  to  know  all  that  Thou, 
the  Son  of  God,  art  to  me  as  the  True  Vine. 


2d  Day 


THE  HUSBANDMAN 

AND  MY  FATHER  IS  THE  HUSBANDMAN. 
— John   XV.  L 

A  VINE  must  have  a  husbandman,  to 
plant  and  watch  over  it,  to  receive  and 
rejoice  in  its  fruit.  Jesus  says :  **  My 
Father  is  the  Husbandman."  He  was 
*'  the  Vine  of  God's  planting."  All  He 
was  and  did,  He  owed  to  the  Father ; 
in  all  He  only  sought  the  Father's  will 
and  glory.  He  had  become  man  to 
show  us  what  a  creature  ought  to  be  to 
its  Creator.  He  took  our  place,  and 
the  spirit  of  His  life  before  the  Father 
was  ever  what  He  seeks  to  make  ours  : 
"  Of  Him,  and  through  Him,  and  to 
Him  are  all  things."     He  became  the 

16 


The  Husbandman 

True  Vine,  that  we  might  be  true 
Branches.  Both  in  regard  to  Christ 
,and  ourselves  the  words  teach  us  the 
two  lessons  of  absolute  dependence  and 
perfect  confidence. 

My  Father  is  the  Husbandman. 
Christ  ever  lived  in  the  spirit  of  what 
He  once  said :  "  The  Son  can  do  nothing 
of  Himself."  As  dependent  as  a  vine 
is  on  a  husbandman  for  the  place  where 
it  is  to  grow,  for  its  fencing  in  and 
watering  and  pruning,  Christ  felt  Him- 
self entirely  dependent  on  the  Father 
every  day  for  the  wisdom  and  the 
strength  to  do  the  Father's  will.  As 
He  said  in  the  previous  chapter  (xiv. 
10):  "  The  words  that  I  say  unto  you, 
I  speak  not  from  Myself;  but  the 
Father  abiding  in  Me  doeth  His  works." 
This  absolute  dependence  had  as  its 
blessed  counterpart  the  most  blessed 
confidence  that  He  had  nothing  to  fear : 
the  Father  could  not  disappoint  Him. 
With  such  a  Husbandman  as  His  Father, 

17 


The  True  Vine 

He  could  enter  death  and  the  grave.   Ho 
could  trust  God  to  raise  Him  up.     All' 
that  Christ  is  and  has,  He  has,  not  in 
Himself,  but  from  the  Father. 

My  Father  is  the  Husbandman. 
That  is  as  blessedly  true  for  us  as  for  j 
Christ.  Christ  is  about  to  teach  His 
disciples  about  their  being  Branches. 
Before  He  ever  uses  the  word,  or  speaks 
at  all  of  abiding  in  Him  or  bearing  fruit, 
He  turns  their  eyes  heavenward  to  the 
Father  watching  over  them,  and  work- 
ing all  in  them.  At  the  very  root  of  all 
Christian  life  lies  the  thought  that  God 
is  to  do  all,  that  our  one  work  is  to  give 
and  leave  ourselves  in  His  hands,  in  the 
confession  of  utter  helplessness  and  de- 
pendence, in  the  assured  confidence  that 
He  gives  all  we  need.  The  great  lack 
of  the  Christian  life  is  that,  even  where 
we  trust  Christ,  we  leave  God  out  of 
the  count.  Christ  came  to  bring  us  to 
God.  Christ  lived  the  life  of  a  man 
exactly  as  we  have  to  live  it.     Christ 

18 

I 


The  Husbandman 

the  Vine  points  to  God  the  Husband- 
man. As  He  trusted  God,  let  us  trust 
God,  that  everything  we  ought  to  be 
and  have,  as  those  who  belong  to  the 
Vine,  will  be  given  us  from  above. 

Isaiah  said:  "A  vineyard  of  red 
wine  ;  I  the  Lord  do  keep  it,  I  will 
water  it  every  moment ;  lesfc  any  hurt 
it,  I  will  keep  it  night  and  day."  Ere 
we  begin  to  think  of  fruit  or  branches, 
let  us  have  our  heart  filled  with  the 
faith  :  as  glorious  as  the  Vine,  is  the 
Husbandman.  As  high  and  holy  as  is 
our  calling,  so  mighty  and  loving  is  the 
God  who  will  work  it  all.  As  surely 
as  the  Husbandman  made  the  Vine 
what  it  was  to  be,  will  He  make  each 
branch  what  it  is  to  be.  Our  Father  is 
our  Husbandman,  the  Surety  for  our 
growth  and  fruit. 

Blessed  Father  !  we  are  Thy  husbandry.  Oh  ! 
;hat  Thou  mayest  have  honor  of  the  work  of  Thy 
lands.  O  my  Father !  I  desire  to  open  my 
leart  to  the  joy  of  this  wondrous  truth  :  My 
19 


The  True  Vine 

Father  is  the  Husbandman.  Teach  me  to  know 
and  trust  Thee,  and  to  see  that  the  same  deep  in- 
terest with  which  Thou  caredst  for  and  delight- 
edst  in  the  Vine,  extends  to  every  branch,  to  me 
too. 


2a 


3d  Day 


THE  BRANCH 

EVERY  BRANCH   IN  ME   THAT  BEARETH 
NOT   FRUIT,  HE  TAKETH  IT  AWAY. — 

Ver,  ii. 

Here  we  have  one  of  the  chief  words 
of  the  parable — Branch.  A  vine  needs 
branches :  without  branches  it  can  do 
nothing,  can  bear  no  fruit.  As  impor- 
tant as  it  is  to  know  about  the  Vine,  and 
the  Husbandman,  it  is  to  realize  what 
the  Branch  is.  Before  we  listen  to 
what  Christ  has  to  say  about  it,  let  us 
first  of  all  take  in  what  a  branch  is,  and 
what  it  teaches  us  of  our  life  in  Christ. 
A  branch  is  simply  a  bit  of  wood, 
brought  forth  by  the  vine  for  the  one 
purpose  of  serving  it  in  bearing  its  fruit. 
I  21 


The  True  Vine  \ 

I  It  is  of  the  very  same  nature  as  the  vine, 
and  has  one  life  and  one  spirit  with  it. 
Just  think  a  moment  of  the  lessons  this 
suggests. 

There  is  the  lesson  of  entire  consecra- 
tion. The  branch  has  but  one  object 
for  which  it  exists,  one  purpose  to  which 
it  is  entirely  given  up.  That  is,  to  bear 
the  fruit  the  vine  wishes  to  bring  forth. 
And  so  the  believer  has  but  one  reason 
for  his  being  a  Branch — hut  one  reason 
for  his  existence  on  earth — that  the 
Heavenly  Vine  may  through  him  bring 
forth  His  fruit.  Happy  the  soul  that 
knows  this,  that  has  consented  to  it,  and 
that  says,  I  have  been  redeemed  and  I 
live  for  one  thing — as  exclusivelj'"  as  the 
natural  branch  exists  only  to  bring  forth 
fruit,  I  too :  as  exclusively  as  the 
Heavenly  Vine  exists  to  bring  forth 
fruit,  I  too.  As  I  have  been  planted  by 
God  into  Christ,  I  have  wholly  given 
myself  to  bear  the  fruit  the  Vine  desires 
to  bring  forth. 

22 


The  Branch 

There  is  the  lesson  of  perfect  conform- 
ity. The  branch  is  exactly  like  the  vine 
in  every  aspect— the  same  nature,  the 
same  life,  the  same  place,  the  same 
work.  In  all  this  they  are  inseparably 
one.  And  so  the  believer  needs  to 
know  that  he  is  partaker  of  the  Divine 
nature,  and  has  the  very  nature  and 
spirit  of  Christ  in  him,  and  that  his  one 
calling  is,  to  yield  himself  to  a  perfect 
conformity  to  Christ.  The  branch  is  a 
perfect  likeness  of  the  vine  ;  the  only 
difference  is,  the  one  is  great  and  strong, 
and  the  source  of  strength,  the  other 
little  and  feeble,  ever  needing  and  re- 
ceiving strength.  Even  so  the  believer 
is,  and  is  to  be,  the  perfect  likeness  of 
Christ. 

There  is  the  lesson  of  absolute  depend- 
ence. The  vine  has  its  stores  of  life 
and  sap  and  strength,  not  for  itself,  but 
for  the  branches.  The  branches  are 
and  have  nothing  but  what  the  vine 
provides  and  imparts.     The  believer  is 

23 


The  True  Vine 

called  to,  and  it  is  his  highest  blessed- 
ness to  enter  upon,  a  life  of  entire  and 
unceasing  dependence  upon  Christ. 
Day  and  night,  every  moment,  Christ  is 
to  work  in  him  all  he  needs. 

And  then  the  lesson  of  undouhting 
confidence.  The  branch  has  no  care ; 
"the  vine  provides  all;  it  has  but  to 
yield  itself  and  receive.  It  is  the 
sight  of  this  truth  leads  to  the  blessed 
rest  of  faith,  the  true  secret  of  growth 
and  strength :  "  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  which  strengtheneth 
me. 

What  a  life  would  come  to  us  if  we 
only  consented  to  be  Branches  !  Dear 
child  of  God !  learn  the  lesson.  You 
have  but  one  thing  to  do :  Only  be  a 
Branch  !  nothing  more  !  nothing  less  ! 
Just  be  a  Branch ;  Christ  will  be  the 
Vine  that  gives  all.  And  the  Husband- 
man, the  Mighty  God,  who  made  the 
Vine  what  it  is,  will  as  surely  make  the 
Branch  what  it  ought  to  he. 
24 


The  Branch 

Lord  Jesus!  I  pray  Thee,  reveal  to  me  the 
heavenly  mystery  of  the  Branch,  in  its  living 
union  with  the  Vine,  in  its  claim  on  all  its  ful- 
ness. And  let  Thy  all-suflficieucy,  holding  and 
filling  Thy  Branches,  lead  me  to  the  rest  of  faith 
that  knows  that  Thou  workest  all. 


25 


4th  Day 


THE  FRUIT 

EVERY  BRANCH  IN  ME  THAT  BEARETH 
NOT  FRUIT,  HE  TAKETH  IT  AWAY. — 

Ver.  a. 

Fruit. — This  is  the  next  great  word 
we  have :  the  Vine,  the  Husbandman, 
the  Branch,  the  Fruit.  What  has  our 
Lord  to  say  to  us  of  fruit  ?  Simply 
this — that  fruit  is  the  one  thing  the 
branch  is  for,  and  that  if  it  bear  not 
fruit,  the  husbandman  takes  it  away. 
The  vine  is  the  glory  of  the  husband- 
man ;  the  branch  is  the  glory  of  the 
vine;  the  fruit  is  the  glory  of  the 
branch ;  if  the  branch  bring  not  forth 
fruit,  there  is  no  glory  or  worth  in  it ; 
it  is  an  offence  and  a  hindrance;  the 
26 


The  Fruit 

husbandman  takes  it  away.  The  one 
reason  for  the  existence  of  a  Branch, 
the  one  mark  of  being  a  true  Branch  of 
the  Heavenly  Vine,  the  one  condition 
of  being  allowed  by  the  Divine  Hus- 
bandman to  share  the  life  of  the  Vine 
is — bearing  fruit. 

And  what  is  fruit  ?  Something  that 
the  branch  bears,  not  for  itself,  but  for 
its  owner;  something  that  is  to  be 
gathered,  and  taken  away.  The  branch 
does  indeed  receive  from  the  vine  sap 
for  its  own  life,  by  which  it  grows 
thicker  and  stronger.  But  this  supply, 
for  its  own  maintenance,  is  entirely 
subordinate  to  its  fulfilment  of  the  pur- 
pose of  its  existence — bearing  fruit. 
It  is  because  Christians  do  not  under- 
stand or  accept  of  this  truth,  that  they 
so  fail  in  their  efforts  and  prayers  to 
live  the  Branch  life.  They  often  desire 
it  very  earnestly ;  they  read  and  medi- 
tate and  pray,  and  yet  they  fail,  they 
wonder    why  ?      The    reason    is  very 

27 


The  True  Vine 

simple :  they  do  not  know  that  fruit- 
hearing  is  the  one  thing  they  have  been 
saved  for.  Just  as  entirely  as  Christ  be- 
came the  True  Vine  with  the  one  ob- 
ject, you  have  been  made  a  Branch  too, 
with  the  one  object  of  bearing  fruit  for 
the  salvation  of  men.  The  Vine  and 
the  Branch  are  equally  under  the  un- 
changeable law  of  fruit-bearing  as  the 
one  reason  of  their  being.  Christ  and 
the  believer,  the  Heavenly  Vine  and 
the  Branch,  have  equally  their  place  in 
the  world  exclusively  for  one  purpose, 
to  carry  God's  saving  love  to  men. 
Hence  the  solemn  word  :  Every  Branch 
that  beareth  not  fruit,  He  taketh  it 
away. 

Let  us  specially  beware  of  one  great 
mistake.  Many  Christians  think  their 
own  salvation  is  the  first  thing ;  their 
temporal  life  and  prosperity,  with  the 
care  of  their  family,  the  second ;  and 
what  of  time  and  interest  is  left  may 
be  devoted  to  fruit-bearing,  to  the  sav- 

28 


The  Fruit 

ing  of  men.  No  wonder  that  in  most 
cases  very  little  time  or  interest  can  be 
found.  No,  Christian  !  the  one  object 
with  which  you  have  been  made  a  mem- 
ber of  Christ's  body,  is  that  the  head 
may  have  you  to  carry  out  His  saving 
work.  The  one  object  God  had  in 
making  you  a  Branch  is  that  Christ 
may  through  you  bring  life  to  men. 
Your  personal  salvation,  your  business 
and  care  for  your  family,  are  entirely 
subordinate  to  this.  Your  first  aim  in 
life,  your  first  aim  every  day,  should  be 
to  know  how  Christ  desires  to  carry  out 
His  purpose  in  you. 

Let  us  begin  to  think  as  God  thinks. 
Let  us  accept  Christ's  teaching  and  re- 
spond to  it.  The  one  object  of  my  be- 
ing a  Branch,  the  one  mark  of  my  being 
a  true  Branch,  the  one  condition  of  my 
abiding  and  growing  strong,  is  that  I 
bear  the  fruit  of  the  Heavenly  Vine  for 
dying  men  to  eat  and  live.  And  the 
one  thing  of  which  I  can  have  the  most 
29 


The  True  Vine 

perfect  assurance  is  that,  with  Christ  as 
my  Vine,  and  the  Father  as  my  Hus- 
bandman, I  can  indeed  be  a  fruitful 
Branch. 

Oar  Father!  Thou  comest  seeking  fruit.  Teach 
us,  we  pray  Thee,  to  realize  how  truly  this  is  the 
one  object  of  our  existence,  and  of  our  union  to 
Christ.  Make  it  the  one  desire  of  our  heart  to 
be  Branches,  so  filled  with  the  Spirit  of  the  Vine, 
as  to  bring  forth  fruit  abundantly. 


5th  Day 


MORE  FRUIT 

AND  EVEEY  BEANCH  THAT  BEAEETH 
FEUIT,  HE  CLEANSETH,  THAT  IT  MAY 
BEAE  MOEE  FEUIT. —  Ver.  it. 

The  thought  of  fruit  is  so  prominent 
in  the  eye  of  Him  who  sees  things  as 
they  are,  fruit  is  so  truly  the  one  thing 
God  has  set  His  heart  upon,  that  our 
Lord,   after   having   said,   The   branch 
that  bears  no  fruit  is  taken  away,  at 
once  adds:  And  where  there  is  fruit, 
the  one  desire  of  the  Husbandman  is, 
More  Fruit.     As  the  gift  of  His  grace, 
as  the  token  of  spiritual  vigor,  as  the 
showing  forth  of  the  glory  of  God  and 
of  Christ,  as  the  only  way  for  satisfying 
the  need  of  the  world,  God  longs  and 
fits  for,  more  fruit. 

31 


The  True  Vine 

More  Fruit.  This  is  a  very  search- 
ing word.  As  churches  and  individuals 
we  are  in  danger  of  nothing  so  much  as 
self-contentment.  The  secret  spirit  of 
Laodicea  ;  We  are  rich  and  increased 
in  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing, 
may  prevail  where  it  is  not  suspected. 
The  Divine  warning:  Poor  and 
wretched  and  miserable,  finds  little  re- 
sponse just  where  it  is  most  needed. 

Let  us  not  rest  content  with  the 
thought  that  we  are  taking  an  equal 
share  with  others  in  the  work  that  is 
being  done,  or  that  men  are  satisfied 
with  our  efforts  in  Christ's  service,  or 
even  point  to  us  as  examples.  Let  our 
only  desire  be  to  know  whether  we  are 
bearing  all  the  fruit  Christ  is  willing  to 
give  through  us  as  living  Branches,  in 
close  and  living  union  with  Himself; 
whether  we  are  satisfying  the  loving 
heart  of  the  great  Husbandman,  our 
Father  in  heaven,  in  His  desire  for 
more  fruit. 

32 


More    Fruit 

MoBE  Feuit.  The  word  comes  with 
Divine  authority  to  search  and  test  our 
life  :  the  true  disciple  will  heartily  sur- 
render himself  to  its  holy  light,  and 
will  earnestly  ask  that  God  Himself 
may  show  what  there  may  be  lacking  in 
the  measure  or  the  character  of  the 
fruit  he  bears.  Do  let  us  believe  that 
the  Word  is  meant  to  lead  us  on  to  a 
fuller  experience  of  the  Father's  pur- 
pose of  love,  of  Christ's  fulness,  and  of 
the  wonderful  privilege  of  bearing 
much  fruit  in  the  salvation  of  men. 

More  Fruit.  The  word  is  a  most 
encouraging  one.  Let  us  listen  to  it. 
It  is  just  to  the  Branch  that  is  bearing 
fruit  that  the  message  comes :  More 
fruit.  God  does  not  demand  this  as 
Pharaoh  the  taskmaster,  or  as  Moses 
the  lawgiver,  without  providing  the 
means.  He  comes  as  a  Father,  who 
gives  what  He  asks,  and  works  what 
He  commands.  He  comes  to  us  as  the 
living  Branches  of  the  living  Vine,  and 
33 


The  True  Vine  ' 

offers  to  work  the  more  fruit  in  us,  if 
we  but  yield  ourselves  into  His  hands. 
Shall  we  not  admit  the  claim,  accept 
the  offer,  and  look  to  Him  to  work  it 
in  us  ?  ' 

"  That  it  may  bear  more  fruit " :  do 
let  us  believe  that  as  the  owner  of  a 
vine  does  everything  to  make  the  fruit- 
age as  rich  and  large  as  possible,  the 
Divine  Husbandman  will  do  all  that  is 
needed  to  make  us  bear  more  fruit.  All 
He  asks  is,  that  we  set  our  heart's  de- 
sire on  it,  entrust  ourselves  to  His 
working  and  care,  and  joyfully  look  to 
Him  to  do  His  perfect  work  in  us.  God 
has  set  His  heart  on  more  fruit ;  Christ 
waits  to  work  it  in  us ;  let  us  joyfully 
look  up  to  our  Divine  Husbandman 
and  our  Heavenly  Vine,  to  ensure  our 
bearing  more  fruit. 

Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven  !  Thou  art  the 

heavenly    Husbandman.       And     Christ    is    the 

heavenly  Vine.     And  I  am  a  heavenly  Branch, 

partaker    of  His    heavenly    life,    to    bear    His 

34 


More    Fruit 

heavenly  fruit.  Father,  let  the  power  of  His  life 
so  fill  me,  that  I  may  ever  bear  more  fruit,  to  the 
glory  of  Thy  name. 


35 


6th  Day 


THE  CLEANSING 

EVERY  BRANCH  THAT  BEARETH  FRUIT, 
HE  CLEANSETH  IT,  THAT  IT  MAY  BEAR 
MORE  FRUIT. —  Ver.  U. 

There  are  two  remarkable  things 
about  the  vine.  There  is  not  a  plant 
of  which  the  fruit  has  so  much  spirit 
in  it,  of  which  spirit  can  be  so  abun- 
dantly distilled  as  the  vine.  And  there 
is  not  a  plant  which  so  soon  runs  into 
wild  wood,  that  hinders  its  fruit,  and 
therefore  needs  the  most  merciless 
pruning.  I  look  out  of  my  window 
here  on  large  vineyards:  the  chief  care 
of  the  vine-dresser  is  the  pruning.  You 
may  have  a  trellis  vine  rooting  so  deep 
in  good  soil,  that  it  needs  neither 
digging,  nor  manuring,  nor  watering : 
3G 


The    Cleansing 

pruning  it  cannot  dispense  with,  if  it  is 
to  bear  good  fruit.  Some  trees  need 
occasional  pruning ;  others  bear  perfect 
fruit  without  any :  the  vine  must  have 
it.  And  so  our  Lord  tells  us,  here  at 
the  very  outset  of  the  parable,  that  the 
one  work  the  Father  does  to  the  branch 
that  bears  fruit  is :  He  cleanseth  it,  that 
it  may  bear  more  fruit. 

Consider  a  moment  what  this  pruning 
or  cleansing  is.  It  is  not  the  removal 
of  weeds  or  thorns,  or  anything  from 
without  that  may  hinder  the  growth. 
No ;  it  is  the  cutting  off  of  the  long 
shoots  of  the  previous  year,  the  removal 
of  something  that  comes  from  within, 
that  has  been  produced  by  the  life  of 
the  vine  itself.  It  is  the  removal  of 
something  that  is  a  proof  of  the  vigor 
of  its  life ;  the  more  vigorous  the  growth 
has  been,  the  greater  the  need  of  the 
pruning.  It  is  the  honest,  healthy  wood 
of  the  vine  that  has  to  be  cut  away. 
And  why  ?     Because  it  would  consume 


The  True  Vine 

too  much  of  the  sap  to  fill  all  the  long 
shoots  of  last  year's  growth :  the  sap 
must  be  saved  up  and  used  for  fruit 
alone.  The  branches,  sometimes  eight 
and  ten  feet  long,  are  cut  down  close  to 
the  stem,  and  nothing  is  left  but  just 
one  or  two  inches  of  wood,  enough  to 
bear  the  grapes.  It  is  when  everything 
that  is  not  needful  for  fruit-bearing  has 
been  relentlessly  cut  down,  and  just  as 
little  of  the  branches  as  possible  has 
been  left,  that  full  rich  fruit  may  be 
expected. 

What  a  solemn,  precious  lesson !  It 
is  not  to  sin  only  that  the  cleansing  of 
the  Husbandman  here  refers.  It  is  to 
our  own  religious  activity,  as  it  is  de- 
veloped in  the  very  act  of  bearing  fruit. 
It  is  this  must  be  cut  down  and  cleansed 
away.  We  have,  in  working  for  God, 
to  use  our  natural  gifts  of  wisdom,  or 
eloquence,  or  influence,  or  zeal.  And 
yet  they  are  ever  in  danger  of  being 
unduly  developed,  and  then  trusted  in. 
38 


I 


The    Cleansing 

And  so,  after  each  season  of  work,  God 
has  to  bring  us  to  the  end  of  ourselves, 
to  the  consciousness  of  the  helplessness 
and  the  danger  of  all  that  is  of  man,  to 
feel  that  we  are  nothing.  All  that  is  to 
be  left  of  us  is  just  enough  to  receive 
the  power  of  the  life-giving  sap  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  What  is  of  man  must  be 
reduced  to  its  very  lowest  measure.  All 
that  is  inconsistent  with  the  most  entire 
devotion  to  Christ's  service  must  be  re- 
moved. The  more  perfect  the  cleansing 
and  cutting  away  of  all  that  is  of  self, 
the  less  of  surface  over  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  to  be  spread,  so  much  the  more 
intense  can  be  the  concentration  of  our 
whole  being,  to  be  entirely  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Spirit.  This  is  the  true 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  the  circum- 
cision of  Christ.  This  is  the  true  cruci- 
fixion with  Christ,  bearing  about  the 
dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  body. 

Blessed  cleansing,  God's  own  cleans- 
ing!    How  we  may  rejoice  in  the  as- 


The  True  Vine 

surance  that  we  shall  bring  forth  more 
fruit. 

O  our  Holy  Husbandman  !  cleanse  and  cut 
away  all  that  there  is  in  us  that  would  make  a 
fair  show,  or  could  become  a  source  of  self-cocfi- 
dence  and  glorying.  Lord  !  keep  us  very  low, 
that  no  flesh  may  glory  in  Thy  presence.  We  do 
trust  Thee  to  do  Thy  work. 


i 


40 


yth  Day 


THE  PRUNING  KNIFE 

ALREADY  YE  ARE  CLEAN  BECAUSE  OF 
THE  WORD  I  HAVE  SPOKEN  UNTO 
YOU. —  Ver.  Hi. 

What  is  the  pruning  knife  of  this 
Heavenly  Husbandman  ?  It  is  often 
said  to  be  affliction.  By  no  means  in 
the  first  place.  How  would  it  then 
fare  with  many  who  have  long  seasons 
free  from  adversity;  or  with  some  on 
whom  God  appears  to  shower  down 
kindness  all  their  life  long?  No;  it  is 
the  Word  of  God  is  the  knife,  sharper 
than  any  two-edged  sword,  that  pierces 
even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  the 
soul  and  spirit,  and  is  quick  to  discern 
the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart. 
It  is  only  when  affliction  leads  to  this 

41 


The  True  Vine 

discipline  of  the  Word  that  it  becomes 
a  blessing ;  the  lack  of  this  heart-cleans- 
ing through  the  Word  is  the  reason  why- 
affliction  is  so  often  unsanctified.  Not 
even  Paul's  thorn  in  the  flesh  could  be- 
come a  blessing  until  Christ's-  word, 
"  My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness," had  made  him  see  the  danger  of 
self-exaltation,  and  made  him  willing  to 
rejoice  in  infirmities. 

The  Word  is  God's  pruning  knife. 
Jesus  says,  "  Ye  are  already  clean,  be- 
cause of  the  word  I  have  spoken  unto 
you."  How  searchingly  that  word  had 
been  spoken  by  Him,  out  of  whose 
mouth  there  went  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword,  as  He  had  taught  them  :  Except 
a  man  deny  himself,  lose  his  life,  forsake 
all,  hate  father  and  mother,  he  cannot 
be  My  disciple,  he  is  not  worthy  of  Me. 
Or,  as  He  humbled  their  pride,  or  re- 
proved their  lack  of  love,  or  foretold 
their  all  forsaking  Him.  From  the 
opening  of  His  ministry  in  the  Sermon 
42 


The  Pruning  Knife 

on  the  Mount  to  His  words  of  warning 
in  the  last  night,  His  word  had  tried 
and  cleansed  them.  He  had  discovered 
and  condemned  all  there  was  of  self; 
they  were  now  emptied  and  cleansed, 
ready  for  the  incoming  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

It  is  as  the  soul  gives  up  its  own 
thoughts,  and  men's  thoughts  of  what 
is  religion,  and  yields  itself  heartily, 
humbly,  patiently,  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Word  by  the  Spirit,  that  the  Father 
will  do  His  blessed  work  of  pruning 
and  cleansing  away  all  of  nature  and 
self  that  mixes  with  our  work  and  hin- 
ders His  Spirit.  Let  those  who  would 
know  all  the  Husbandman  can  do  for 
them,  all  the  Vine  can  bring  forth 
through  them,  seek  earnestly  to  yield 
themselves  heartily  to  the  blessed 
cleansing  through  the  Word.  Let  them, 
in  their  study  of  the  Word,  receive  it 
as  a  hammer  that  breaks  and  opens  up, 
as  a  fire  that  melts  and  refines,  as  a 

43 


The  True  Vine 

sword  that  lays  hare  and  slays  all  that 
is  of  the  flesh.  The  word  of  conviction 
will  prepare  for  the  word  of  comfort 
and  of  hope,  and  the  Father  will  cleanse 
them  through  the  Word. 

All  ye  who  are  Branches  of  the  True 
Vine,  each  time  you  read  or  hear  the 
Word,  wait  first  of  all  on  Him  to  use  it 
for  His  cleansing  of  the  Branch.  Set 
your  heart  upon  His  desire  for  more 
fruit.  Trust  Him  as  Husbandman  to 
work  it.  Yield  yourselves  in  simple 
childlike  surrender  to  the  cleansing 
work  of  His  Word  and  Spirit,  and  you 
may  count  upon  it  that  His  purpose 
will  be  fulfilled  in  you. 

Father!  I  pray  Thee,  cleanse  me  through  Thy 
Word.  Let  it  search  out  and  bring  to  light  all 
that  is  of  self  and  the  flesh  in  my  religion.  Let 
it  cut  away  every  root  of  self-confidence,  that  the 
Vine  may  find  me  wholly  free  to  receive  His  life 
and  Spirit.  O  my  Holy  Husbandman,  I  trust 
Thee  to  care  for  the  Branch  as  much  as  for  the 
Vine.     Thou  only  art  my  hope. 


44 


8th  Day 


ABIDE 

ABIDE  IN  ME,  AND  I  IN  YOU. —  Ver,  IV. 

When  a  new  graft  is  placed  in  a  vine, 
and  it  abides  there,  there  is  a  twofold 
process  that  takes  place.  The  first  is  in 
the  wood.  The  graft  shoots  its  little 
roots  and  fibres  down  into  the  stem, 
and  the  stem  grows  up  into  the  graft, 
and  what  has  been  called  the  structural 
union  is  effected.  The  graft  abides  and 
becomes  one  with  the  vine,  and  even 
though  the  vine  were  to  die,  would  still 
be  one  wood  with  it.  Then  there  is  the 
second  process,  in  which  the  sap  of  the 
vine  enters  the  new  structure,  and  uses 
it  as  a  passage  through  which  sap  can 
flow  up  to  show  itself  in  young  shoots 
45 


The  True  Vine 

and  leaves  and  fruit.  Here  is  the  vital 
union.  Into  the  graft  which  abides  in 
the  stock,  the  stock  enters  with  sap  to 
abide  in  it. 

When  our  Lord  says :  *'  Abide  in  Me, 
and  I  in  you,"  He  points  to  something 
analogous  to  this.  *'  Abide  in  Me  "  : 
that  refers  more  to  that  which  we  have 
to  do.  We  have  to  trust  and  obey,  to 
detach  ourselves  from  all  else,  to  reach 
out  after  Him  and  cling  to  Him,  to  sink 
ourselves  into  Him.  As,  through  the 
grace  He  gives,  we  do  this,  a  character 
is  formed,  and  a  heart  prepared  for  the 
fuller  experience :  "I  in  you."  God 
strengthens  us  with  might  by  the  Spirit 
in  the  inner  man,  and  Christ  dwells  in 
the  heart  by  faith. 

Many  believers  pray  and  long  very 
earnestly  for  the  filling  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  indwelling  of  Christ,  and  won- 
der that  they  do  not  make  more  progress. 
The  reason  is  often  this,  the  *'I  in 
you  "  cannot  come  because  the  *'  Abide 
46 


Abide 

in  Me  "  is  not  maintained.  "  There  is 
one  body  and  one  spirit "  ;  before  the 
Spirit  can  fill,  there  must  be  a  body 
prepared.  The  graft  must  have  grown 
into  the  stem,  and  be  abiding  in  it  be- 
fore the  sap  can  flow  through  to  bring 
forth  fruit.  It  is  as  in  lowly  obedience 
we  follow  Christ,  even  in  external 
things,  denying  ourselves,  forsaking  the 
world,  and  even  in  the  body  seeking  to 
be  conformable  to  Him,  as  we  thus  seek 
to  abide  in  Him,  that  we  shall  be  able 
to  receive  and  enjoy  the  "  I  in  you." 
The  work  enjoined  on  us :  "  Abide  in 
If^,"  will  prepare  us  for  the  work  un- 
dertaken by  Him  :     ^^  Iin  youy 

In. — The  two  parts  of  the  injunction 
have  their  unity  in  that  central  deep- 
meaning  word  In.  There  is  no  deeper 
word  in  Scripture.  God  is  in  all.  God 
dwells  in  Christ.  Christ  lives  in  God. 
We  are  in  Christ.  Christ  is  in  us :  our 
life  taken  up  into  His ;  His  life  received 
into  ours ;  in  a  Divine  reality  that  words 
47 


The  True  Vine 

cannot  express,  we  are  in  Him  and  He 
in  us.  And  the  words,  Abide  in  Me  and 
I  in  you,  just  tell  us  to  believe  in  this 
Divine  mystery,  and  to  count  upon  our 
God  the  Husbandman,  and  Christ  the ' 
Vine,  to  make  it  divinely  true.  No 
thinking  or  teaching  or  praying  can 
grasp  it ;  it  is  a  Divine  mystery  of  love. 
As  little  as  we  can  effect  the  union  can 
we  understand  it.  Let  us  just  look 
upon  this  Infinite,  Divine,  Omnipotent 
Vine  loving  us,  holding  us,  working  in 
us.  Let  us  in  the  faith  of  His  working 
abide,  and  rest  in  Him,  ever  turning 
heart  and  hope  to  Him  alone.  And  let 
us  count  upon  Him  to  fulfil  in  us  the 
mystery :  "  Ye  in  Me,  and  I  in  you." 

Blessed  Lord  !  Thou  dost  bid  me  abide  in  Thee. 
How  can  I,  Lord,  except  Thou  shew  Thyself  to 
me,  waiting  to  receive  and  welcome  and  keep  me  ? 
I  pray  Thee  shew  me  how  Thou  as  Vine  under- 
taketh  to  do  all.  To  be  occupied  with  Thee  is  to 
abide  in  Thee.  Here  I  am,  Lord !  a  Branch, 
cleansed  and  abiding — resting  in  Thee,  and 
awaiting  the  inflow  of  Thy  life  and  grace. 
48 

i 


gth  Day 


EXCEPT  YE  ABIDE 

AS  THE  BRANCH  CANNOT  BEAR  FRUIT 
OF  ITSELF,  EXCEPT  IT  ABIDE  IN  THE 
VINE  ;  NO  MORE  CAN  YE,  EXCEPT  YE 
ABIDE  IN  ME. —  Ver.  iv. 

We  know  the  meaning  of  the  word 
except.  It  expresses  some  indispen- 
sable condition,  some  inevitable  law. 
"  The  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself, 
except  it  abide  in  the  vine.  No  more 
can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  Me."  There 
is  but  one  way  for  the  branch  to  bear 
fruit,  there  is  no  other  possibility,  it 
must  abide  in  unbroken  communion 
with  the  vine.  Not  of  itself,  but  only 
of  the  vine,  does  the  fruit  come.  Christ 
had  already  said  :  Abide  in  Me  ;  in  na- 
ture the  branch  teaches  us  the  lesson  so 
49 


The  True  Vine 

clearly ;  it  is  such  a  wonderful  privilege 
to  be  called  and  allowed  to  abide  in  the 
Heavenly  Vine ;  one  might  have 
thought  it  needless  to  add  these  words 
of  warning.  But  no — Christ  knows  so 
well  what  a  renunciation  of  self- is  im- 
plied in  this :  Abide  in  Me  ;  how  strong 
and  universal  the  tendency  would  be  to 
seek  to  bear  fruit  by  our  own  efforts ;  ho  w 
difiBcult  it  would  be  to  get  us  to  believe 
that  actual,  continuous  abiding  in  Him 
is  an  absolute  necessity,  that  He  insists 
upon  the  truth:  Hot  of  itself  can  the 
branch  bear  fruit ;  except  it  ahide^  it 
cannot  bear  fruit.  No  more  can  ye, 
except  ye  abide  in  Me. 

But  must  this  be  taken  literally? 
Must  I,  as  exclusively,  and  manifestly, 
and  unceasingly,  and  absolutely,  as  the 
branch  abides  in  the  vine,  be  equally 
given  up  to  find  my  whole  life  in  Christ 
alone  ?  I  must  indeed.  The  Except  ye 
abide  is  as  universal  as  the  Except  it 
abide.     The  No  more  can  ye  admits  of 

50 


Except  Ye  Abide 

no  exception  or  modification.  If  I  am 
to  be  a  true  Branch,  if  I  am  to  bear 
fruit,  if  I  am  to  be  what  Christ  as  Vine 
wants  me  to  be,  my  whole  existence 
must  be  as  exclusively  devoted  to  abid- 
ing in  Him,  as  that  of  the  natural 
branch  is  to  abiding  in  its  vine. 

Let  me  learn  the  lesson.  Abiding  is 
to  be  an  act  of  the  will  and  the  whole 
heart.  Just  as  there  are  degrees  in 
seeking  and  serving  God,  '*  not  with  a 
perfect  heart,"  or  '*  with  the  whole 
heart,"  so  there  may  be  degrees  in  abid- 
ing. In  regeneration  the  Divine  life 
enters  us,  but  does  not  all  at  once  mas- 
ter and  fill  our  whole  being.  This 
comes  as  matter  of  command  and  obe- 
dience. There  is  unspeakable  danger 
'  yof  our  not  giving  ourselves  with  our 
,  whole  heart  to  abide.  There  is  un- 
speakable danger  of  our  giving  our- 
selves to  work  for  God,  and  to  bear  fruit, 
with  but  little  of  the  true  abiding,  the 
whole-hearted    losing   of    ourselves  in 

51 


The  True  Vine 

Christ  and  His  life.  There  is  unspeak- 
able danger  of  much  work  with  but 
little  fruit,  for  lack  of  this  one  thing 
needful.  We  must  allow  the  words, 
*'  Not  of  itself,"  "  Except  it  abide,"  to 
do  their  work  of  searching  and  expos- 
ing, of  pruning  and  cleansing,  all  that 
there  is  of  self-will  and  self-confidence 
in  our  life ;  this  will  deliver  us  from 
this  great  evil,  and  so  prepare  us  for 
His  teaching,  and  giving  the  full  mean- 
ing of  the  word  in  us :  Abide  in  Me, 
and  I  in  you. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  desires  to  call  us 
away  from  ourselves  and  our  own 
strength,  to  Himself  and  His  strength. 
Let  us  accept  the  warning,  and  turn 
with  great  fear  and  self-distrust  to  Him 
to  do  His  work.  ''  Our  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God  !  "  That  life  is  a  heav- 
enly mystery,  hid  from  the  wise  even 
among  Christians,  and  revealed  unto 
babes.  The  childlike  spirit  learns  it 
that  life  is  given  from  heaven  everyday 
52 


Except  Ye  Abide 

and  every  moment  to  the  soul  that  ac- 
cepts the  teaching:  "Not  of  itself," 
"  Except  it  abide,"  and  seeks  its  all  in 
the  Vine.  Abiding  in  the  Vine  then 
comes  to  be  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
the  restful  surrender  of  the  soul  to  let 
Christ  have  all  and  work  all,  as  com- 
pletely as  in  nature  the  branch  knows 
and  seeks  nothing  but  the  vine. 

Abide  in  Me.  I  have  heard,  my  Lord,  that  with 
every  commaDd,  Thou  also  givest  the  power  to 
obey.  With  Thy  Rise  aud  walk,  the  lame  mau 
leaped.  I  accept  Thy  word,  Abide  in  lie,  as  a 
word  of  power,  that  gives  power,  and  even  now  I 
say.  Yea,  Lord,  I  will,  I  do  abide  in  Thee. 


53 


10th  Day 


I  THE  VINE 

I  AM  THE  VINE,  YE  ARE  THE  BRANCHES. 

—  Ver.  V, 

In  the  previous  verse  Christ  had  just; 
said:  "Abide  in  Me."  He  had  then 
announced  the  great  unalterable  law  of 
all  branch-life,  on  earth  or  in  heaven : 
Hot  of  itself;  Except  it  ahidp.  In  the 
opening  words  of  the  parable  He  had 
already  spoken  :  *'  T  am  the  Vine."  He 
now  repeats  the  words.  He  would  have 
us  understand — note  well  the  lesson, 
simple  as  it  appears,  it  is  the  key  of  the ' 
abiding  life — that  the  only  way  to  obey 
the  command,  Abide  in  Me,  is  to  havei 
eye  and  heart  fixed  upon  Himself. 
Abide  in  Me — I  am  the  True  Vine,' 
Yea,  study  this  holy  mystery  until  youi 
54 


I  the  Vine 

see  Christ  as  the  True  Vine,  bearing, 
strengthening,  supplying,  inspiring  all 
His  Branches,  being  and  doing  in  each 
Branch  all  it  needs,  and  the  abiding  will 
come  of  itself.  Yes,  gaze  upon  Him  as 
the  True  Vine,  until  you  feel  what  a 
Heavenly  Mystery  it  is,  and  are  com- 
pelled to  ask  the  Father  to  reveal  it  to 
you  by  His  Holy  Spirit.  He  to  whom 
God  reveals  the  glory  of  the  True  Vine, 
he  who  sees  what  Jesus  is  and  waits  to 
do  every  moment,  he  cannot  but  abide. 
The  vision  of  Christ  is  an  irresistible 
attraction  ;  it  draws  and  holds  us  like  a 
magnet.  Listen  ever  to  the  living  Christ 
still  speaking  to  you,  and  waiting  to 
show  you  the  meaning  and  power  of 
His  word:  I  am  the  Vine. 
'  How  much  weary  labor  there  has 
been  in  striving  to  understand  what 
abiding  is,  how  much  fruitless  effort  in 
trying  to  attain  it.  Why  was  this? 
Because  the  attention  was  turned  to 
the  abiding,  as  a  work  we  have  to  do, 

55 


The  True  Vine 

instead  of  the  Living  Christ,  in  whom 
we  were  to  be  kept  abiding,  who  Him- 
self was  to  hold  and  keep  ns.  We 
thought  of  abiding  as  a  continual  strain  / 
and  effort — we  forget  that  it  means,  rest . 
from  effort  to  one  who  has  found  the 
place  of  his  abode.  Do  notice  how 
"Christ  said — Abide  in  Me;  I  am  the 
Vine  that  brings  forth,  and  holds, 
and  strengthens,  and  makes  fruitful  the 
branches.  Abide  in  Me,  rest  in  Me, 
and  let  Me  do  My  work.  I  am  the 
True  Vine,  all  I  am,  and  speak,  and 
do  is  Divine  Truth,  giving  the  actual 
reality  of  what  is  said.  I  am  the  Vine, 
only  consent  and  yield  thy  all  to  Me,  I 
will  do  all  in  thee. 

And  so  it  sometimes  comes  that  souls 
who  have  never  been  specially  occupied 
with  the  thought  of  abiding,  are  abiding 
all  the  time,  because  they  are  occupied  ^ 
with  Christ.  Not  that  the  word  Abide 
is  not  needful ;  Christ  used  it  so  often, 
because  it  is  the  very  key  of  the  Chris-  ^ 
56  ^1 

I 


I  the  Vine 

tian  life.  But  He  would  have  us  under- 
stand it  in  its  true  sense — Come  out  of 
every  other  place,  and  every  other  trust 
and  occupation,  come  out  of  self  with 
its  reasonings  and  efforts,  come  and  rest 
in  what  I  shall  do.  Live  out  of  thy- 
self; Abide  in  Me.  Know  that  thou 
art  IN  Me;  thou  needest  no  more;  re- 
main there  in  Me. 

I  am  the  Vine.  Christ  did  not  keep 
this  mystery  hidden  from  His  disciples. 
He  revealed  it,  first  in  words  here,  then 
in  power  when  the  Holy  Spirit  came 
down.  He  will  reveal  it  to  us  too,  first 
in  the  thoughts  and  confessions  and 
desires  these  words  awaken,  then  in 
power  by  the  Spirit.  Do  let  us  wait  on 
Him  to  show  us  all  the  heavenly  mean- 
ing of  the  mystery.  Let  each  day,  in 
our  quiet  time,  in  the  inner  chamber 
with  Him  and  His  word,  our  chief 
thought  and  aim  be  to  get  the  heart 
fixed  on  Him,  in  the  assurance :  All 
that  a  vine  ever  can  do  for  its  branches, 

57 


The  True  Vine 

my  Lord  Jesus  will  do,  is  doing,  for  me. 
Give  Him  time,  give  Him  your  ear,  that 
He  may  whisper  and  explain  the  Divine 
Secret :  I  am  the  Vine. 

Above  all,  remember,  Christ  is  the 
Vine  of  God's  planting,  and  you  are  a 
Branch  of  God's  grafting.  Ever  stand 
before  God,  in  Christ;  ever  wait  for  all 
grace  from  God,  m  Christ;  ever  yield 
yourself  to  bear  the  more  fruit  the 
Husbandman  asks,  in  Christ.  And 
pray  much  for  the  revelation  of  the 
mystery  that  all  the  Love  and  Power 
of  God  that  rested  on  Christ  is  working 
in  you  too.  *'  I  am  God's  Vine," 
Jesus  says ;  all  I  am  I  have  from  Him ; 
all  I  am  is  for  you ;  God  will  work  it  in 
you. 

/  am  the  Vine.  Blessed  Lord !  speak  Thou  that 
word  into  my  soul.  Then  shall  I  know  that  all 
Thy  fulness  is  for  me.  And  that  I  can  count 
upon  Thee  to  stream  it  into  me,  and  that  my 
abiding  is  so  easy  and  so  sure  when  I  forget  and 
lose  myself  in  the  adoring  faith  that  the  Vine 
holds  the  Branch  and  supplies  its  every  need. 
58 


11th  Day 


YE  THE  BRANCHES 

I  AM  THE  VINE,  YE  AKE  THE  BRANCHES. 
—  Ver.  V. 

Christ  had  ah-eadj  said  much  of  the 
Branch,  here  He  comes  to  the  personal 
application :  Ye  are  the  Branches  of 
whom  I  have  been  speaking.  As  I  am 
the  Vine,  engaged  to  be  and  do  all  the 
Branches  need,  so  I  now  ask  you,  in  the 
new  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
which  I  have  been  promising  you,  to 
accept  the  place  I  give  you,  and  to  be 
My  Branches  on  earth.  The  relation- 
ship He  seeks  to  establish  is  an  in- 
tensely personal  one  :  it  all  hinges  on 
the  two  little  words  I  and  You.  And 
it  is  for  us  as  intensely  personal  as  for 
the  first  disciples.  Let  us  present  our- 
59 


The  True  Vine 

selves  before  onr  Lord,  until  He  speak 
to  each  of  us  in  power,  and  our  whole 
soul  feels  it:  I  am  the  Vine;  you  are 
the  Branch. 

Dear  disciple  of  Jesus,  however  young 
or  feeble,  hear  the  voice,  You  are  the 
Branch.  You  must  be  nothing  less.  Let 
no  false  humility,  no  carnal  fear  of 
sacrifice,  no  unbelieving  doubts  as  to 
what  you  feel  able  for,  keep  you  back 
from  saying  :  I  will  be  a  Branch,  with 
all  that  may  mean.  A  Branch,  very 
feeble,  but  yet  as  like  the  Vine  as  can 
be,  for  I  am  of  the  same  nature,  and 
receive  of  the  same  spirit.  A  Branch, 
utterly  helpless,  and  yet  just  as  mani- 
festly set  apart  before  God  and  men,  as 
wholly  given  up  to  the  work  of  bearing 
fruit,  as  the  Vine  itself.  A  Branch, 
nothing  in  myself,  and  yet  resting  and 
rejoicing  in  the  faith  that  knows  that 
He  will  provide  for  all.  Yes,  by  His 
grace,  I  will  be  nothing  less  than  a 
Branch,  and  all  He  means  it  to  be,  tliat 

60 


Ye  the  Branches 

through  me,  He  may  bring  forth  His 
fruit. 

You  are  the  Branch.  You  need  be 
nothing  more.  You  need  not  for  one 
single  moment  of  the  day  take  upon 
you  the  responsibility  of  the  Vine. 
You  need  not  leave  the  place  of  entire 
dependence  and  unbounded  confidence. 
You  need,  least  of  all,  to  be  anxious  as 
to  how  you  are  to  understand  the 
mystery,  or  fulfil  its  conditions,  or  work 
out  its  blessed  aim.  The  Vine  will  give 
all  and  work  all.  The  Father,  the 
Husbandman,  watches  over  your  union 
with  and  growth  in  the  Vine.  You 
need  be  nothing  more  than  a  Branch. 
Only  a  Branch  !  let  that  be  your  watch- 
word; it  will  lead  in  the  path  of  con- 
tinual surrender  to  Christ's  working,  of 
true  obedience  to  His  every  command, 
of  joj^ful  expectancy  of  all  His  grace. 

Is  there  any  one  who  now  asks :  Oh ! 
how  can  I  learn  to  say  this  aright.  Only 
a  Branch !  and  to  live  it  out  ?     Dear 

61 


The  True  Vine 

soul,  the  character  of  a  Branch,  its 
strength,  and  the  fruit  it  bears,  depend 
entirely  upon  the  Vine.  And  your  life 
as  Branch  depends  entirely  upon  your 
apprehension  of  what  our  Lord  Jesus 
is.  Therefore  never  separate  the  two 
words:  I  the  Vine — you  the  branch! 
Your  life  and  strength  and  fruit  depend 
upon  what  your  Lord  Jesus  is  I  There- 
fore worship  and  trust  Him  ;  let  Him  be 
your  one  desire  and  the  one  occupation 
of  your  heart.  And  when  you  feel  that 
you  do  not  and  cannot  know  Him 
aright,  then  just  remember  it  is  part 
of  His  responsibility  as  Vine  to  make 
Himself  known  to  you.  He  does  this 
not  in  thoughts  and  conceptions — no, 
but  in  a  hidden  growth  within  the  life 
that  is  humbly  and  restfully  and  en- 
tirely given  up  to  wait  on  Him.  The 
Vine  reveals  itself  within  the  Branch ; 
thence  comes  the  growth  and  fruit. 
Christ  dwells  and  works  within  His 
Branch ;  only  be  a  Branch,  waiting  on 
62 


Ye  the  Branches 

Him  to  do  all ;  He  will  be  to  thee  the 
True  Vine.  The  Father  Himself,  the 
Divine  Husbandman,  is  able  to  make 
thee  a  Branch  worthy  of  the  Heavenly 
Vine.     Thou  shalt  not  be  disappointed. 

Ye  are  the  Branches.  This  word,  too,  Lord!  O 
speak  it  in  power  unto  my  soul.  Let  not  the 
branch  of  the  earthly  vine  pub  me  to  shame,  but 
as  it  only  lives  to  bear  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  may 
my  life  on  earth  have  no  wish  or  aim,  but  to  let 
Thee  bring  forth  fruit  through  me. 


63 


12th  Day 


MUCH  FRUIT 

HE  THAT  ABIDETH  IN  ME,  AND  I  iN 
HIM,  THE  SAME  BEINGETH  FORTH 
MUCH  EEUIT. —  Ver.  V, 

Our  Lord  had  spoken  of  fruit,  more 
fruit.  He  now  adds  the  thought : 
Much  fruit.  There  is  in  the  Vine  such 
fulness,  the  care  of  the  Divine  Hus- 
bandman is  so  sure  of  success,  that  the 
much  fruit  is  not  a  demand,  but  the 
simple  promise  of  what  must  come  to 
the  Branch  that  lives  in  the  double 
abiding — he  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in 
him.  *'  The  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit."     It  is  certain. 

Have  you  ever  noticed  the  difference 
in  the  Christian  life  between  work  and 
fruit?  A  machine  can  do  work:  only 
64 


,  Much  Fruit 

life  can  bear  fruit.     A  law  can  compel 
work :    only    love    can    spontaneously 
bring  forth  fruit.     Work  implies  effort 
md  labor  :  the  essential  idea  of  fruit  is 
;hat  it  is  the  silent  natural  restful  pro- 
luce  of  our  inner  life.     The  gardener 
nay  labor  to  give  his  apple  tree  the 
iigging    and   manuring,   the   watering 
,nd  the  pruning  it  needs :  he  can  do 
lothing  to  produce  the  apple :  the  tree 
lears  its  own  fruit.     So  in  the  Christian 
ife  :     "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love, 
leace,  joy."     The   healthy   life    bears 
tuch  fruit.     The   connection  between 
rork  and  fruit  is  perhaps  best  seen  in 
iie  expression,  *' fruitful  in  every  good 
^ork"  (Col.  i.  10).     It   is   only  when 
3od  works  come  as  the  fruit  of  the  in- 
^velling  Spirit  that  they  are  acceptable 
3  God.     Under  the  compulsion  of  law 
nd  conscience,  or  the  influence  of  in- 
lination  and  zeal,  men  may  be  most 
[ligent  in  good  works,  and  yet  find 
iat  they  have  but  little  spiritual  result. 

65 


The  True  Vine 

There  can  be  no  reason  but  this — their 
works  are  man's  effort,  instead  of  be- 
ing the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  the  restful 
natural  outcome  of  the  Spirit's  opera* 
tion  within  us. 

Let  all  workers  come  and  listen  to 
our  Holy  Vine  as  He  reveals  the  law  of 
sure  and  abundant  fruitfulness:  "He 
that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  the 
same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  The 
gardener  cares  for  one  thing — the 
strength  and  healthy  life  of  his  tree: 
the  fruit  follows  of  itself.  If  you 
would  bear  fruit,  see  that  the  inner  life 
is  perfectly  right,  that  your  relation  tor 
Christ  Jesus  is  clear  and  close.  Begin' 
each  day  with  Him  in  the  morning,  to, 
know  in  truth  that  you  are  abiding  in 
Him  and  He  in  you.  Christ  tells  that^ 
nothing  less  will  do.  It  is  not  your 
willing  and  running,  it  is  not  by  your 
might  or  strength,  but — "  by  My  Spirit, 
saith  the  Lord."  Meet  each  new  en- 
gagement, undertake  every  new  work, 

66 


Much  Fruit 

with  an  ear  and  heart  open  to  the 
Master's  voice :  *'  He  that  abideth  in 
Me,  beareth  much  fruit."  See  you  to 
the  abiding ;  He  will  see  to  the  fruit, 
for  He  will  give  it  in  you  and  through 
you. 

0  my  brother !  it  is  Christ  must  do 
all.  The  Vine  provides  the  sap,  and 
the  life,  and  the  strength  :  the  Branch 
waits,  and  rests,  and  receives,  and  bears 
the  fruit.  Oh !  the  blessedness  of  be- 
ing only  Branches,  through  whom  the 
Spirit  flows  and  brings  God's  life  to 
men  ! 

1  pray  you,  take  time  and  ask  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  give  you  to  realize  the 
unspeakably  solemn  place  you  occupy 
in  the  mind  of  God.  He  has  planted 
you  into  His  Son  with  the  calling  and 
the  power  to  bear  much  fruit.  Accept 
that  place.  Look  much  to  God,  and  to 
Christ,  and  expect  joyfully  to  be  what 
God  has  planned  to  make  you,  a  fruit- 
ful Branch. 

67 


The  True  Vine 

Much  fruit !  So  be  it,  blessed  Lord  Jesus.  It 
can  be,  for  Thou  art  the  Vine.  It  shall  be,  for  I 
am  abiding  in  Thee.  It  must  be,  for  Thy  Father 
is  the  Husbandman  that  cleanses  the  Branch. 
Tea,  much  fruit,  out  of  the  abundance  of  Thy 
grace. 


68 


13th  Day 


YOU  CAN  DO  NOTHING 

APART  FROM  ME  YE  CAN  DO  NOTHING. 

—  Ver.  V. 

In  everything  the  life  of  the  Branch 
is  to  be  the  exact  counterpart  of  that 
of  the  Vine.  Of  Himself  Jesus  had 
said :  *'  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of 
Himself."  As  the  outcome  of  that  en- 
tire dependence,  He  could  add  :  '*  All 
that  the  Father  doeth,  doeth  the  Son 
also  likewise."  As  Son  He  did  not  re- 
ceive His  life  from  the  Father  once  for 
all,  but  moment  by  moment.  His  life 
was  a  continual  waiting  on  the  Father 
for  all  He  was  to  do.  And  so  Christ 
says  of  His  disciples  :  Ye  can  do  noth- 
ing apart  from  Me.  He  means  it  liter- 
ially.     To  every  one  who  wants  to  live 

!  69 


The  True  Vine 

the  true  disciple  life,  to  bring  forth 
fruit  and  glorify  God,  the  message 
comes :  You  can  do  nothing.  What 
had  been  said  :  *'  He  that  abide th  in 
Me,  and  I  in  him,  the  saaie  beareth 
much  fruit,"  is  here  enforced  by  the 
simplest  and  strongest  of  arguments  : 
Abiding  in  Me  is  indispensable,  for,  you 
know  it,  of  yourselves  you  can  do  noth- 
ing to  maintain  or  act  out  the  heavenly 
life. 

A  deep  conviction  of  the  truth  of  j 
this  word  lies  at  the  very  root  of  a 
strong  spiritual  life.  As  little  as  I 
created  myself,  as  little  as  I  could  raise 
a  man  from  the  dead,  can  I  give  myself 
the  Divine  life.  As  little  as  I  can  give 
it  myself,  can  I  maintain  or  increase  it: 
every  motion  is  the  work  of  God 
through  Christ  and  His  Spirit.  It  is  as 
a  man  believes  this,  that  he  will  take 
up  that  position  of  entire  and  continual 
dependence  which  is  tlie  very  essence 
of  the  life  of  faith.     With  the  spiritual 

70 


You  Can  Do  Nothing 

eye  he  sees  Christ  every  moment  sup- 
plying grace  for  every  breathing  and 
every  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life. 
His  whole  heart  says  Amen  to  the 
word  :  You  can  do  nothing.  And  just 
because  he  does  so,  he  can  also  say: 
*'I  can  do  all  things  in  Christ  who 
strengtheneth  me."  The  sense  of  help- 
lessness, and  the  abiding  to  which  it 
compels,  leads  to  true  fruitfulness  and 
diligence  in  good  works. 

"  Apart  from  Me  ye  can  do  nothing." 
What  a  plea  and  what  a  call  every  mo- 
ment to  abide  in  Christ !  We  have  only 
to  go  back  to  the  vine  to  see  how  true 
it  is.  Look  again  at  that  little  branch, 
utterly  helpless  and  fruitless  except  as 
it  receives  sap  from  the  vine,  and  learn 
that  the  full  conviction  of  not  being 
able  to  do  anything  apart  from  Christ 
is  just  what  you  need  to  teach  you  to 
abide  in  your  Heavenly  Vine.  It  is 
this  that  is  the  great  meaning  of  the 
pruning  Christ  spoke  of — all  that  is 
71 


The  True  Vine 

self  must  be  brought  low,  that  our  con- 
fidence may  be  in  Christ  alone.  Abide 
in  Me  ;  much  fruit !  Apart  from  Me ; 
nothing ! — ought  there  to  be  any  doubt 
as  to  what  we  shall  choose  ? 

The  one  lesson  of  the  parable  is — as 
surely,  as  naturally  as  the  branch  abides 
in  the  vine,  You  can  abide  in  Christ. 
For  this  He  is  the  True  Vine ;  for  this 
God  is  the  Husbandman ;  for  this  you 
are  a  Branch.  Shall  we  not  cry  to  God 
to  deliver  us  forever  from  the  "  apart 
from  Me,"  and  to  make  the  "  abide  in 
Me  "  an  unceasing  reality  ?  Let  your 
heart  go  out  to  what  Christ  is,  and  can 
do,  to  His  Divine  power  and  His  tender 
love  to  each  of  His  Branches,  and  you 
will  say  evermore  confidently  :  Lord  ! 
I  am  abiding ;  I  will  bear  much  fruit. 
My  impotence  is  my  strength.  So  be 
it.  Apart  from  Thee,  nothing.  In 
Thee,  much  fruit. 

Apart  from  Me — you  nothing.  Lord  !  I  gladly 
accept  the  arrangement :   I  nothing — Thou  all, 

72 


You  Can  Do  Nothing 

My  nothingness  is  my  highest  blessing,  because 
Thou  art  the  Vine,  that  givest  and  workest  all. 
So  be  it,  Lord !  I,  nothing,  ever  waiting  on  thy 
fulness.  Lord!  reveal  to  me  the  glory  of  this 
blessed  life. 


73 


14th  Day 


WITHERED  BRANCHES 

IF  A  MAN  ABIDE  NOT  IN  ME,  HE  IS  CAST 
FORTH  AS  A  BRANCH,  AND  IS  WITH- 
ERED ;  AND  THEY  GATHER  THEM, 
AND  CAST  THEM  INTO  THE  FIRE,  AND 
THEY  ARE  BURNED. —  Ver.  vL 

The  lessons  these  words  teach  are 
very  simple  and  very  solemn.  A  man 
can  come  to  such  a  connection  with 
Christ,  that  he  counts  himself  to  be  in 
Him,  and  yet  he  can  be  cast  forth. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  not  abiding  in 
Christ,  which  leads  to  withering  up 
and  burning.  There  is  such  a  thing  as 
a  withered  branch,  one  in  whom  the 
initial  union  with  Christ  appears  to 
have  taken  place,  and  in  whom  yet  it  is 
seen  that  his  faith  was  but  for  a  time. 
74 


withered  Branches 

What  a  solemn  call  to  look  around  and 
see  if  there  be  not  witliered  branches 
in  our  churches,  to  look  within  and  see 
whether  we  are  indeed  abiding  and 
bearing  fruit. 

And  what  may  be  the  cause  of  this 
"not  abiding."  With  some  it  is,  that 
they  never  understood  how  the  Chris- 
tian calling  leads  to  holy  obedience  and 
to  loving  service.  They  were  content 
with  the  thought  that  they  had  be- 
lieved, and  were  safe  from  hell ;  there 
was  neither  motive  nor  power  to  abide 
in  Christ — they  knew  not  the  need  of 
it.  With  others  it  was  that  the  cares 
of  the  world,  or  its  prosperity,  choked 
the  word :  they  had  never  forsaken  all 
to  follow  Christ.  With  still  others  it 
was  that  their  religion  and  their  faith 
was  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  and  not  in 
the  power  of  God.  They  trusted  in 
the  means  of  grace,  or  in  their  own  sin- 
cerity, or  in  the  soundness  of  their 
faith    in    justifying   grace ;    they  had 

75 


The  True  Vine 

never  come  even  to  seek  an  entire  abid- 
ing in  Christ  as  their  only  safety.  No 
wonder  that,  when  the  hot  winds  of 
temptation  or  persecution  blew,  they 
withered  away :  they  were  not  truly 
rooted  in  Christ. 

Let  us  open  our  eyes  and  see  if  there 
be  not  withered  branches  all  around  us 
in  the  churches.  Young  men,  whose 
confessions  were  once  bright,  but  who 
are  growing  cold.  Or  old  men,  who 
have  retained  their  profession,  but  out 
of  whom  the  measure  of  life  there  once 
appeared  to  be,  has  died  out.  Let 
ministers  and  believers  take  Christ's 
words  to  heart,  and  see,  and  ask  the 
Lord  whether  there  is  nothing  to  be 
done  for  branches  that  are  beginning  to 
wither.  And  let  the  word.  Abide,  ring 
through  the  Church  until  every  believer 
has  caught  it.  No  safety  but  in  a  true 
abiding  in  Christ. 

Let  each  of  us  turn  within.  Is  our 
life    fresh,    and  green,   and    vigorous, 

76 


Withered  Branches 

bringing  forth  its  fruit  in  its  season  ? 
(see  Ps.  i.  3,  xcii.  13,  14;  Jer.  xvii.  7, 
8).  Let  us  accept  every  warning  with 
a  willing  mind,  and  let  Christ's  "  If  a 
man  abide  not  "  give  new  urgency  to 
His  ''  Abide  in  Me."  To  the  upright 
soul  the  secret  of  abiding  will  become 
ever  simpler,  just  the  consciousness  of 
the  place  in  which  He  has  put  me  ; 
just  the  childlike  resting  in  my  union 
with  Him,  and  the  trustful  assurance 
that  He  will  keep  me.  Oh  I  do  let  us 
believe  there  is  a  life  that  knows  of 
no  withering,  that  is  ever  green ;  and 
that  brings  forth  fruit  abundantly. 

Witliered !  O  my  Father !  watch  over  me,  and 
keep  me,  and  let  nothing  ever  for  a  moment 
binder  the  freshness  that  comes  from  a  full  abid- 
ing in  the  Vine.  Let  the  very  thought  of  a 
svithered  branch  fill  me  with  holy-  fear  and 
ivatchfulness. 


77 


15th  Day 


WHATSOEVER  YE  WILL 

IF    YE   ABIDE    IN    ME,  AND    MY    WORDS 

-      ABIDE  IN  YOU,  ASK  WHATSOEVER  YE 

WILL,  AND  IT  SHALL   BE   DONE  UNTO 

YOU. —  Ver.  vii. 

The  whole  place  of  the  branch  in  the 
vine  is  one  of  unceasing  prayer.  With- 
out intermission  it  is  ever  calling  :  O 
my  vine,  send  the  sap  I  need  to  bear 
Thy  fruit.  And  its  prayers  are  never 
unanswered;  it  asks  what  it  needs, 
what  it  will,  and  it  is  done. 

The  healthy  life  of  the  believer  in 
Christ  is  equally  one  of  unceasing 
prayer.  Consciously  or  unconsciously, 
he  lives  in  continual  dependence.  The 
word  of  his  Lord,  "  You  can  do  noth- 
ing," has  taught  him  that  not  more  un- 

78 


Whatsoever  Ye  Will 

broken  than  the  continuance  of  the 
branch  in  the  vine,  must  be  his  asking 
and  receiving.  The  promise  of  our 
text  gives  us  infinite  boldness  :  "  Ask 
whatsoever  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done 
unto  you." 

The  promise  is  given  in  direct  con- 
nection with  fruit-bearing.  Limit  it 
to  yourself  and  your  own  needs,  and 
you  rob  it  of  its  power;  you  rob 
yourself  of  the  power  of  appropriating 
it.  Christ  was  sending  these  disciples 
out,  and  they  were  ready  to  give  their 
life  for  the  world  :  to  them  He  gave 
the  disposal  of  the  treasures  of  heaven. 
Their  prayers  would  bring  the  Spirit 
and  the  power  they  needed  for  their 
work. 

The  promise  is  given  in  direct  con- 
nection with  the  coming  of  the  Spirit. 
The  Spirit  is  not  mentioned  in  the  par- 
able, just  as  little  as  the  sap  of  the  vine 
is  mentioned.  But  both  are  meant  all 
through.     In  the  chapter  preceding  the 

79 


The  True  Vine 

parable,  our  Lord  had  spoken  of  the 
Holy  Sph'it,  in  connection  with  their 
inner  life,  being  in  them,  and  revealing 
Himself  within  them  (xiv.  15-23).  In 
the  next  chapter  He  speaks  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  connection  with  their  work, 
coming  to  them,  convincing  the  world, 
and  glorifying  Him  (xvi.  7-14).  To 
avail  ourselves  of  the  unlimited  prayer 
promises,  we  must  be  men  who  are 
filled  with  the  Spirit,  and  wholly  given 
up  to  the  work  and  glory  of  Jesus. 
The  Spirit  will  lead  us  into  the  truth  of 
its  meaning  and  the  certainty  of  its 
fulfilment. 

Let  us  realize  that  we  can  only  fufil 
our  calling  to  bear  much  fruit,  by  pray- 
ing much.  In  Christ  are  hid  all  the 
treasures  men  around  us  need ;  in  Him 
all  God's  children  are  blessed  with  all 
spiritual  blessings ;  He  is  full  of  grace 
and  truth.  But  it  needs  prayer,  much 
prayer,  strong  believing  prayer,  to 
bring  these  blessings  down.  And  let 
80 


Whatsoever  Ye  Will 

ns  equally  remember  that  we  cannot 
appropriate  the  promise  without  a  life 
given  up  for  men.  Many  try  to  take 
the  promise,  and  then  look  round  for 
I  what  they  can  ask.  This  is  not  the 
way ;  but  the  very  opposite.  Get  the 
heart  burdened  with  the  need  of  souls, 
and  the  command  to  save  them,  and 
the  power  will  come  to  claim  the 
promise. 

^  Let  us  claim  it  as  one  of  the  revela- 
tions of  our  wonderful  life  in  the  Vine  ; 
He  tells  us  that  if  we  ask  in  His  name, 
in  virtue  of  our  union  with  Him,  what- 
soever  it  be,   it   will   be   done   to  us. 
Souls  are  perishing  because  there  is  too 
I  little  prayer.     God's  children  are  feeble 
because  there  is  too  little  prayer.     We 
bear  so  little  fruit  because  there  is  so 
little  prayer.     The  faith  of  this  prom- 
ise would  make  us  strong  to  pray ;  let 
us  not  rest  till  it  has  entered  into  our 
very  heart,  and  drawn  us,  in  the  power 
of  Christ,  to  continue  and  labor  and 

81 


The  True  Vine 

us  to  be.  The  only  difference  is,  what 
God  works  in  the  trees  is  by  a  power 
of  which  they  are  not  conscious.  He 
wants  to  work  in  us  with  our  consent. 
This  is  the  nobihty  of  man,  that  he  has 
a  will  that  can  cooperate  with  God  in 
understanding  and  approving  and  ac- 
cepting what  He  offers  to  do. 

*'  If  ye  abide  " — here  is  the  difference 
between  the  Branch  of  the  natural  and 
the  spiritual  Vine.  The  former  abides 
by  force  of  nature :  the  latter  abides, 
not  by  force  of  will,  but  by  a  Divine 
power  given  to  the  consent  of  the  will. 
Such  is  the  wonderful  provision  God 
has  made  that,  what  the  power  of  na- 
ture does  in  the  one  case,  the  power  of 
grace  will  do  in  the  other.  The  Branch 
can  abide  in  the  Vine. 

**If  ye  abide  in  Me,  ask  whatsoever 
ye  will."  If  we  are  to  live  a  true  prayer 
life,  with  the  love  and  the  power  and 
the  experience  of  prayer  marking  it, 
there  must  be  no  question  about  the 

84 


If  Ye  Abide 

abiding.  And  if  we  abide,  there  need 
be  no  question  about  the  liberty  of  ask- 
ing what  we  will,  and  the  certainty  of 
its  being  done.  There  is  the  one  con- 
dition :  If  ye  abide  in  Me.  There  must 
be  no  hesitation  about  the  possibility  or 
the  certainty  of  it.  We  must  gaze  on 
that  little  branch  and  its  wonderful 
power  of  bearing  such  beautiful  fruit, 
until  we  truly  learn  to  abide. 

And  what  is  its  secret  ?  Be  wholly 
occupied  with  Jesus.  Sink  the  roots  of 
your  being  in  faith  and  love  and  obe- 
dience deep  down  into  Him.  Come 
away  out  of  every  other  place  to  abide 
here.  Give  up  everything  for  the  in- 
conceivable privilege  of  being  a  Branch 
on  earth  of  the  glorified  Son  of  God  in 
heaven.  Let  Christ  be  first.  Let  Christ 
be  all.  Do  not  be  occupied  with  the 
abiding — be  occupied  with  Christ.  He 
will  hold  you,  He  will  keep  you  abiding 
in  Him.     He  will  abide  in  you. 

"  If  ye   abide  in   Me,  and  My  words 

85 


The  True  Vine 

abide  in  you^  This  He  gives  as  the 
equivalent  of  the  other  expression :  "  I 
in  you.  If  My  words  abide  in  you  " — 
that  is,  not  only  in  meditation,  in  mem-, 
ory,  in  love,  in  faith — all  these  are 
needed — but  above  all,  in  obedience.  If 
these  words  enter  into  your  will,  your 
being,  and  constitute  your  life — if  they 
transform  your  character  into  their  own 
likeness,  and  you  become  and  are  what 
they  speak  and  mean,  ask  what  ye  will, 
it  shall  be  done  unto  you.  Your  words 
to  God  in  prayer  will  be  the  fruit  of 
Christ  and  His  words  living  in  you. 

"  Ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be 
done  unto  you."  Dear  soul !  do  believe 
in  the  truth  of  this  promise.  Set  your- 
self to  be  an  intercessor  for  men ;  a 
fruit-bearing  intercessor,  ever  calling 
down  more  blessing.  Such  faith  and 
prayer  will  help  you  wonderfully  to 
abide  wholly  and  unceasingly. 

If  ye  ahide.     Yes,  Lord  !  the  power  to  pray,  and 
the  power  to  prevail,  must  depend  on  this  abiding 
86 


If  Ye  Abide 

in  Thee.  As  Thou  art  the  Vine,  Thou  art  the 
Divine  Intercessor,  who  breathest  Thy  spirit  in 
us.  Oh !  for  grace  to  abide  simply  and  wholly  in 
Thee,  and  ask  great  things. 


87 


lyth  Day 


THE  FATHER  GLORIFIED 

HEREIN  IS  MY  FATHER  GLORIFIED,  THAT 
YE  BEAR  MUCH  FRUIT. —  Ver.  vUL 

How  can  we  glorify  God?  Not  by- 
adding  to  His  glory  or  bringing  Him 
any  new  glory  that  He  has  not.  But 
simply  by  allowing  His  glory  to  shine 
out  through  us,  by  yielding  ourselves  to 
Him,  that  His  glory  may  manifest  itself 
in  us  and  through  us  to  the  world.  In 
a  vineyard  or  a  vine  bearing  much  fruit, 
the  owner  is  glorified,  as  it  tells  of  his 
skill  and  care.  In  the  disciple  who 
bears  much  fruit,  the  Father  is  glorified. 
Before  men  and  angels,  proof  is  given 
of  the  glory  of  God's  grace  and  power  ; 
God's  glory  shines  out  through  him. 

This  is  what  Peter  means  when  he 
writes,  '*He  that  ministers,  let  him 
88 


The  Father  Glorified 

minister  as  of  the  ability  that  God 
giveth,  that  God  in  all  things  may  be 
glorified  through  Jesus  Christ."  As  a 
man  works  and  serves  in  a  power  which 
comes  from  God  alone,  God  gets  all  the 
glory.  When  we  confess  that  the  abil- 
ity came  from  God  alone,  he  that  does 
the  work,  and  they  who  see  it,  equally 
glorify  God.  It  was  God  who  did  it. 
Men  judge  by  the  fruit  of  a  garden  of 
what  the  gardener  is.  Men  judge  of 
God  by  the  fruit  that  the  Branches  of 
the  Vine  of  His  planting  bears.  Little 
fruit  brings  little  glory  to  God.  It 
brings  no  honor  to  either  the  Vine  or 
the  Husbandman.  *'  That  ye  bear  much 
fruit,  herein  is  My  Father  glorified." 

We  have  sometimes  mourned  our  lack 
of  fruit,  as  a  loss  to  ourselves  and  our 
fellow-men,  with  complaints  of  our  fee- 
bleness as  the  cause.  Let  us  rather 
think  of  the  sin  and  shame  of  little 
fruit  as  robbing  God  of  the  glory  He 
ought  to  get  from  us.     Let  us  learn  the 

89 


The  True  Vine 

secret  of  bringing  glory  to  God,  serving 
of  the  ability  which  God  giveth.  The 
full  acceptance  of  Christ's  word,  *'  You 
can  do  nothing " ;  the  simple  faith  in 
God,  who  worketh  all  in  all ;  the  abiding 
in  Christ  through  whom  the  Divine 
Husbandman  does  His  work  and  gets 
much  fruit;  this  is  the  life  that  will 
bring  glory  to  God. 

Much  fruit:  God  asks  it;  see  that 
you  give  it.  God  can  be  content  with 
nothing  less ;  be  you  content  with  noth- 
ing less.  Let  these  words  of  Christ: 
Fruit — more  fruit — much  fruit,  abide 
in  you,  until  you  think  as  He  does,  and 
you  be  prepared  to  take  from  Him,  the 
Heavenly  Vine,  what  He  has  for  you. 
Much  fruit:  herein  is  My  Father  glori- 
fied. Let  the  very  height  of  the  de- 
mand be  your  encouragement.  It  is  so 
entirely  beyond  your  power,  that  it 
throws  you  more  entirely  upon  Christ, 
your  True  Vine.  He  can,  He  will, 
make  it  true  in  you. 
90 


The  Father  Glorified 

Much  fruit :  God  asks  because  He 
needs.  He  does  not  ask  fruit  from  the 
Branches  of  His  Vine  for  show,  to 
prove  what  He  can  do.  No ;  He  needs 
it  for  the  salvation  of  men  :  it  is  in  that 
He  is  to  be  glorified.  Throw  yourself  in 
much  prayer  on  your  Vine  and  your 
Husbandman.  Cry  to  God  and  your 
Father  to  give  you  fruit  to  bring  to 
men.  Take  the  burden  of  the  hungry 
and  the  perishing  on  you,  as  Jesus  did 
when  He  was  moved  with  compassion, 
and  your  power  in  prayer,  and  your 
abiding,  and  your  bearing  much  fruit 
to  the  glory  of  the  Father,  will  have  a 
reality  and  a  certainty  you  never  knew 
before. 

The  Father  glorified.  Blessed  prospect.  God 
glorifyiDg  Himself  in  me,  showing  forth  the  glory 
of  His  goodness  and  power  in  what  He  works  in 
me,  and  through  me.  "What  a  motive  to  bear 
much  fruit,  just  as  much  as  He  works  in  me. 
Father  !  glorify  Thyself  in  me. 


91 


i8th  Day 


TRUE  DISCIPLES 

HEEEIN  IS  MY  FATHER  GLOEIFIED,  THAT 
YE  BEAK  MUCH  FEUIT  :  SO  SHALL  YE 
BE  MY  DISCIPLES. —  Ver.  vUl. 

And  are  those  who  do  not  bear  much 
fruit,  not  disciples?  They  may  be,  but 
in  a  backward  and  immature  stage.  Of 
those  who  bear  much  fruit,  Christ  says : 
These  are  My  disciples,  such  as  I  would 
have  them  be — these  are  true  disciples. 
Just  as  we  say  of  some  one  in  whom 
the  idea  of  manliness  is  realized :  That 
is  a  man !  So  our  Lord  tells  who  are 
disciples  after  His  heart,  worthy  of  the 
name :  Those  who  bear  much  fruit. 
We  find  this  double  sense  of  the  word 
disciple  in  the  Gospel.  Sometimes  it  is 
92 


True  Disciples 

applied  to  all  who  accepted  Christ's 
teaching.  At  other  times  it  includes 
only  the  inner  circle  of  those  who  fol- 
lowed Christ  wholly,  and  gave  them- 
selves to  His  training  for  service.  The 
difference  has  existed  throughout  all 
ages.  There  have  always  been  a  smaller 
number  of  God's  people  who  have 
sought  to  serve  Him  with  their  whole 
heart,  while  the  majority  have  been  con- 
tent with  a  very  small  measure  of  the 
knowledge  of  His  grace  and  will. 

And  what  is  the  difference  between 
this  smaller  inner  circle  and  the  many 
who  do  not  seek  admission  to  it  ?  We 
find  it  in  the  words  :  Much  fruit.  With 
many  Christians  the  thought  of  per- 
sonal safety,  which  at  their  first  awak- 
ening was  a  legitimate  one,  remains  to 
the  end  the  one  aim  of  their  religion. 
The  idea  of  service  and  fruit  is  always 
a  secondary  and  very  subordinate  one. 
The  honest  longing  for  much  fruit  does 
jnot  trouble    them.      Souls   that  have 

93 


The  True  Vine 

heard  the  call  to  live  wholly  for  their 
Lord,  to  give  their  life  for  Him  as  He 
xave  His  for  them,  can  never  be  satis- 
tied  with  this.  Their  cry  is  to  bear  as 
much  fruit  as  tliey  possibly  can,  as" 
much  as  their  Lord  ever  can  desire  or 
give  in  them. 

Bear  much  fkuit,  so  shall  ye  be 
My  disciples.  Let  me  beg  every 
reader  to  consider  these  words  most 
seriously.  Be  not  content  with  the 
thought  of  gradually  doing  a  little 
more  or  better  work.  In  this  way  it 
may  never  come.  Take  the  words. 
Much  fruity  as  the  revelation  of  your 
Heavenly  Vine  of  what  you  must  be,  of 
what  you  can  be.  Accept  fully  the  im- 
possibility, the  utter  folly  of  attempting 
it  in  your  strength.  Let  the  words  call 
you  to  look  anew  upon  the  Vine,  an 
undertaking  to  live  out  its  heavenly 
fulness  in  you.  Let  them  waken  in  you 
once  again  the  faith  and  the  confession ; 
I  am  a  Branch  of  the  True  Vine ;  I  can 
94 


True  Disciples 

bear  much  fruit  to  His  glory,  and  the 
glory  of  the  Father. 

We  need  not  judge  others.  But  we 
see  in  God's  Word  everywhere  two 
classes  of  disciples.  Let  there  be  no 
hesitation  as  to  where  we  take  our 
place.  Let  us  ask  Him  to  reveal  to  us 
how  He  asks  and  claims  a  life  wholly 
given  up  to  Him,  to  be  as  full  of  His 
Spirit  as  He  can  make  us.  Let  our  de- 
sire be  nothing  less  than  perfect  cleans- 
ing, unbroken  abiding,  closest  com- 
munion, abundant  fruitfulness, — true 
Branches  of  the  True  Vine. 

The  world  is  perishing,  the  Church  is 
failing,  Christ's  cause  is  suffering, 
Christ  is  grieving  on  account  of  the 
lack  of  whole-hearted  Christians,  bear- 
ing much  fruit.  Though  you  scarce  see 
what  it  implies  or  how  it  is  to  come,  say 
to  Him  that  you  are  His  Branch,  to 
bear  much  fruit ;  that  you  are  ready  to 
be  His  disciple  in  His  own  meaning  of 
the  word. 

95 


The  True  Vine 

My  disciples.  Blessed  Lord !  much  fruit  is  the 
proof  that  Thou  the  True  Vine  hast  in  me  a  true 
Branch,  a  disciple  wholly  at  Thy  disposal.  Give 
me,  I  pray  Thee,  the  childlike  consciousness  that 
my  fruit  is  pleasing  to  Thee,  what  Thou  countest 
much  fruit. 


igtk  Day 


THE  WONDERFUL  LOVE 

EVEN  AS  THE  FATHER  HATH  LOVED 
ME,  I  ALSO  HAVE  LOVED  YOU. —  Ver. 

ix. 

Here  Christ  leaves  the  language  of 
parable,  and  speaks  plain  out  of  the 
Father.  Much  as  the  parable  could 
teach,  it  could  not  teach  the  lesson  of 
love.  All  that  the  vine  does  for  the 
branch,  it  does  under  the  compulsion  of 
a  law  of  nature :  there  is  no  personal 
living  love  to  the  branch.  We  are  in 
danger  of  looking  to  Christ  as  a  Saviour 
and  a  supply  of  every  need,  appointed 
by  God,  accepted  and  trusted  by  us, 
without  any  sense  of  the  intensity  of 
personal  affection  in  which  Christ  em- 
braces us,  and  our  life  alone  can  find  its 

97 


The  True  Vine 

true  happiness.  Christ  seeks  to  point 
us  to  this. 

And  how  does  He  do  so  ?  He  leads 
us  once  again  to  Himself,  to  show  us 
how  identical  His  own  life  is  with  ours. 
Even  as  the  Father  loved  Him,  He 
loves  us.  His  life  as  vine  dependent  on 
the  Father,  was  a  life  in  the  Father's 
love  ;  that  love  was  His  strength  and 
His  joy :  in  the  power  of  that  Divine 
love  resting  on  Him  He  lived  and  died. 
If  we  are  to  live  like  Him,  as  Branches 
to  be  truly  like  our  Vine,  we  must  share 
in  this  too.  Our  life  must  have  its  breath 
a7id  being  in  a  Heavenly  Love  as  much  as 
His.  What  the  Father's  love  was  to 
Him,  His  love  will  be  to  us.  If  that 
love  made  Him  the  True  Vine,  His  love 
can  make  us  True  Branches.  Even  as 
the  Father  hath  loved  Me,  so  have  I 
loved  you. 

Even  as  the  Father  hath  loved  Me. 
And  how  did  the  Father  love  Him? 
The  infinite  desire  and  delight  of  God 

98 


The  Wonderful  Love 

to  communicate  to  the  Son  all  He  had 
Himself,  to  take  the  Son  into  the  most 
complete  equality  with  Himself,  to  live 
in  the  Son  and  have  the  Son  live  in 
Him,  this  was  the  love  of  God  to 
Christ.  It  is  a  mystery  of  glory  of 
which  we  can  form  no  conception,  we 
can  only  bow  and  worsliip  as  we  try  to 
think  of  it.  And  with  such  a  love,  with 
this  very  same  love,  Christ  longs  in  an 
infinite  desire  and  delight  to  communi- 
cate to  us  all  He  is  and  has,  to  make  us 
partakers  of  His  own  nature  and  bless- 
edness, to  live  in  us  and  have  us  live  in 
Himself. 

And  now,  if  Christ  loves  us  with  such 
an  intense,  such  an  infinite  Divine  love, 
what  is  it  that  hinders  it  triumphing 
over  every  obstacle  and  getting  full 
possession  of  us  ?  The  answer  is  simple. 
Even  as  the  love  of  the  Father  to 
Christ,  so  His  love  to  us,  is  a  Divine 
mystery,  too  high  for  us  to  comprehend 
or  attain  to  by  any  effort  of  our  own. 
99 


The  True  Vine 

It  is  only  the  Holy  Spirit  who  can  shed 
abroad  and  reveal  in  its  all-conquering 
power  without  intermission  this  wonder- 
ful love  of  God  in  Christ.  It  is  the 
vine  itself  must  give  the  branch  its 
growth  and  fruit  by  sending  up  its  sap. 
.It  is  Christ  Himself  must  by  His  Holy 
Spirit  dwell  in  the  heart ;  then  shall  we 
know  and  have  in  us  the  love  that 
passeth  knowledge. 

As  the  Father  loved  Me,  so  have  I 
loved  you.  Shall  we  not  draw  near  to 
the  personal  living  Christ,  and  trust 
Him,  and  yield  all  to  Him,  that  He 
may  love  this  love  into  us,  so  that,  just 
as  He  knew  and  rejoiced  every  hour : 
The  Father  loveth  Me,  we  too  may 
live  in  the  unceasing  consciousness : 
As  the  Father  loved  Him,  so  He  loves 
me? 

As  the  Father  loved  Me,  so  have  I  loved  you.   Dear 
Lord!  I  am  only  beginning  to  apprehend  how  ex- 
actly the  life  of  the  Vine  is  to  be  that  of  the 
Branch  too.     Thou  art   the  Vine,   because   the 
100 


The  Wonderful  Love 

Father  loved  Thee,  and  poured  His  love  through 
Thee.  And  so  Thou  lovest  me,  and  my  life  as 
Branch  is  to  be  like  Thine,  a  receiving  and  a 
giving  out  of  heavenly  love. 


101 


20th  Day 


ABIDE  IN  MY  LOVE 

EVEN  AS  THE  FATHER  HATH  LOVED 
ME,  I  ALSO  HAVE  LOVED  YOU  :  ABIDE 
YE  IN  MY  LOVE. —  Ver.  ix. 

Abide  in  My  love.  We  speak  of  a 
man's  home  as  his  abode.  Our  abode, 
the  home  of  our  soul,  is  to  be  the  love 
of  Christ.  We  are  to  live  our  life 
there,  to  be  at  home  there  all  the  day : 
this  is  what  Christ  means  our  life  to  be, 
and  really  can  make  it.  Our  continuous 
abiding  in  the  Vine  is  to  be  an  abiding 
in  His  love. 

You  have  probably  heard  or  read  of 
what  is  called  the  higher  or  the  deeper 
life,  of  the  richer  or  the  fuller  life,  of 
the  life  abundant.  And  you  possibly 
know  that  some  have  told  of  a  wonder- 
ful change,  by  which  their  life  of  con- 
103 


Abide  in  My  Love 

tinual  failure  and  stumbling  had  been 
changed  into  a  very  blessed  experience 
of  being  kept  and  strengthened  and 
made  exceeding  glad.  If  you  asked 
them  how  it  was  this  great  blessing 
came  to  them,  many  would  tell  you  it 
was  simply  this,  that  they  were  led  to 
believe  that  this  abiding  in  Christ's  love 
was  meant  to  be  a  reality,  and  that  they 
were  made  willing  to  give  up  every- 
thing for  it,  and  then  enabled  to  trust 
Christ  to  make  it  true  to  them. 

The  love  of  the  Father  to  the  Son  is 
not  a  sentiment — it  is  a  Divine  life,  an 
infinite  energy,  an  irresistible  power. 
It  carried  Christ  through  life  and  death 
and  the  grave.  The  Father  loved  Him 
and  dwelt  in  Him,  and  did  all  for  Him. 
So  the  love  of  Christ  to  us,  too,  is  an 
infinite  living  power  that  will  work  in 
us  all  He  delights  to  give  us.  The  fee- 
bleness of  our  Christian  life  is  that  we 
do  not  take  time  to  believe  that  this 
Divine  love  does  really  delight  in  us, 
103 


The  True  Vine 

and  will  possess  and  work  all  in  us. 
We  do  not  take  time  to  look  at  the 
Vine  bearing  the  Branch  so  entirely, 
working  all  in  it  so  completely.  We 
strive  to  do  for  ourselves  what  Christ 
alone  can,  what  Christ,  oh !  so  lovingly, 
longs  to  do  for  us. 

And  this  now  is  the  secret  of  the 
change  we  spoke  of,  and  the  beginning 
of  a  new  life,  when  the  soul  sees  this 
infinite  love  willing  to  do  all,  and  gives 
itself  up  to  it.  Abide  in  My  love.  To 
believe  that  it  is  possible  so  to  live  mo- 
ment by  moment ;  to  believe  that  every- 
thing that  makes  it  difficult  or  impossi- 
ble will  be  overcome  by  Christ  Himself; 
to  believe  that  Love  really  means  an 
infinite  longing  to  give  itself  wholly  to 
us  and  never  leave  us  ;  and  in  this  faith 
to  cast  ourselves  on  Christ  to  work  it 
in  us ;  this  is  the  secret  of  the  true 
Christian  life. 

And  how  to  come  to  this  faith? 
Turn  away  from  the  visible  if  you 
104 


Abide  in  My  Love 

would  see  and  possess  the  invisible. 
Take  more  time  with  Jesus,  gazing  on 
Him  as  the  Heavenly  Vine,  living  in 
the  love  of  the  Father,  wanting  you  to 
live  in  His  love.  Turn  away  from 
yourself  and  your  efforts  and  your  faith, 
if  you  would  have  the  heart  filled  with 
Him  and  the  certainty  of  His  love. 
Abiding  means  going  out  from  every- 
thing else,  to  occupy  one  place  and  stay 
there.  Come  away  from  all  else,  and 
set  your  heart  on  Jesus,  and  His  love, 
that  love  will  waken  your  faith  and 
strengthen  it.  Occupy  yourself  with 
that  love,  worship  it,  wait  for  it.  You 
may  be  sure  it  will  reach  out  to  you, 
and  by  its  power  take  you  up  into  itself 
as  your  abode  and  your  home. 

Ahide  in  My  love.  Lord  Jesns !  I  see  it,  it  was 
Thy  abiding  in  Thy  Father's  love  made  Thee  the 
True  Vine,  with  Thy  Divine  fulness  of  love  and 
blessing  for  us.  Oh  !  that  I  may  even  so,  as  a 
Branch,  abide  in  Thy  love,  for  its  fulness  to  fill 
me  and  overflow  on  all  around. 

105 


2 1  St  Day 


OBEY  AND  ABIDE 

IF    YE    KEEP    MY   COMMANDMENTS,    YE 
SHALL  ABIDE   IN   MY  LOVE. —  Ver.  X, 

In  our  former  meditation  I  spoke  of 
the  entrance  into  a  life  of  rest  and 
strength  which  has  often  come  through 
a  true  insight  into  the  personal  love  of 
Christ,  and  the  assurance  that  that  love 
indeed  meant  that  He  would  keep  the 
soul.  In  connection  with  that  transi- 
tion, and  the  faith  that  sees  and  accepts 
it,  the  word  Surrender  or  Consecration 
is  frequently  used.  The  soul  sees  that 
it  cannot  claim  the  keeping  of  this 
wonderful  love  unless  it  yields  itself  to 
a  life  of  entire  obedience.  It  sees,  too, 
that  the  faith  that  can  trust  Christ  for 
keeping   from  sinning,  must  prove  its 

106 


Obey  and  Abide 

sincerity  by  venturing  at  once  to  trust 
Him  for  strength  to  obey.  In  that  faith 
it  dares  to  give  up  and  cut  off  every- 
thing that  has  hitherto  hindered  it,  and 
to  promise  and  expect  to  live  a  life  that 
is  well  pleasing  to  God. 

This  is  the  thought  we  have  here  now 
in  our  Saviour's  teaching.  After  hav- 
ing, in  the  words,  Abide  in  My  love, 
spoken  of  a  life  in  His  love  as  a  neces- 
sity, because  it  is  at  once  a  possibility 
and  an  obligation.  He  states  what  its 
one  condition  is :  "if  ye  keep  My  com- 
mandments^ ye  shall  abide  in  My  love." 
This  is  surely  not  meant  to  close  the 
door  to  the  abode  of  His  love  which  He 
had  just  opened  up.  Not  in  the  most 
distant  way  does  it  suggest  the  thought 
which  some  are  too  ready  to  entertain, 
that  as  we  cannot  keep  His  command- 
ments, we  cannot  abide  in  His  love. 
No  ;  the  precept  is  a  promise  :  '*  Abide 
in  My  love,"  could  not  be  a  precept  if 
it  were  not  a  promise.     And  so  the  in- 

107 


The  True  Vine 

struction  as  to  the  way  through  this 
open  door  points  to  no  unattainable 
ideal;  the  love  that  invites  to  her 
blessed  abode  reaches  out  the  hand,  and 
enables  us  to  keep  the  commandments. 
Let  us  not  fear,  in  the  strength  of  our 
ascended  Lord,  to  take  the  vow  of  obe- 
dience, and  give  ourselves  to  the  keep- 
ing of  His  commandments.  Through 
His  will,  loved  and  done,  lies  the  path 
to  His  love. 

Only  let  us  understand  well  what  it 
means.  It  refers  to  our  performance  of 
all  that  we  know  to  be  God's  will. 
There  may  be  things  doubtful,  of  which 
we  are  not  sure.  A  sin  of  ignorance 
has  still  the  nature  of  sin  in  it.  There 
may  be  involuntary  sins,  which  rise  up 
in  the  flesh,  which  we  cannot  control  or 
overcome.  With  regard  to  these  God 
will  deal  in  due  time  in  the  way  of 
searching  and  humbling,  and  if  we  be 
simple  and  faithful,  give  us  larger  de- 
liverance than  we  dare  expect.     But  all 

108 


Obey  and  Abide 

this  may  be  found  in  a  truly  obedient 
soul.  Obedience  has  reference  to  the 
positive  keeping  of  the  commandments 
of  our  Lord,  and  the  performance  of 
His  will  in  everything  in  which  we 
know  it.  This  is  a  possible  degree  of 
grace,  and  it  is  the  acceptance  in 
Christ's  strength  of  such  obedience  as 
the  purpose  of  our  heart,  of  which  our 
Saviour  speaks  here.  Faith  in  Christ 
as  our  Vine,  in  His  enabling  and  sancti- 
fying power,  fits  us  for  this  obedience 
of  faith,  and  secures  a  life  of  abiding 
in  His  love. 

"  If  ye  keep  My  commandments,  ye 
shall  abide  in  My  love."  It  is  the 
Heavenly  Vine  unfolding  the  mystery 
of  the  life  He  gives.  It  is  to  those 
abiding  in  Him  to  whom  He  opens  up 
the  secret  of  the  full  abiding  in  His 
love.  It  is  the  ivhole-hearted  surrender  in 
everything  to  do  His  ivill,  that  gives  access 
to  a  life  in  the  abiding  enjoyment  of  His 
love. 

109 


The  True  Vine 

Obey  and  abide.  Gracious  Lord  !  teach  me  this 
lessoD,  that  it  is  only  through  knowing  Thy  will 
one  can  know  Thy  heart,  and  only  through  doing 
that  will  one  can  abide  in  Thy  love.  Lord !  teach 
me  that  as  worthless  as  is  the  doing  in  my  own 
strength,  so  essential  and  absolutely  indispensable 
is  the  doing  of  faith  in  Thy  strength,  if  I  would 
abide  in  Thy  love. 


110 


22d  Day 


YE,  EVEN  AS  I 

IF  YE  KEEP  MY  COMMANDMENTS,  YE 
SHALL  ABIDE  IN  MY  LOVE,  EVEN  AS 
I  HAVE  KEPT  MY  FATHER'S  COM- 
MANDMENTS, AND  ABIDE  IN  HIS 
LOVE Ver.  X, 

We  have  had  occasion  more  than 
once  to  speak  of  the  perfect  similarity 
of  the  vine  and  the  branch  in  nature, 
and  therefore  in  aim.  Here  Christ 
speaks  no  longer  in  a  parable,  but  tells 
us  plain  out  of  how  His  own  life  is  the 
exact  model  of  ours.  He  had  said  that 
it  is  alone  by  obedience  we  can  abide  in 
His  love.  He  now  tells  that  this  was 
the  way  in  which  He  abode  in  the 
Father's  love.  As  the  Vine,  so  the 
111 


The  True  Vine 

Branch.  His  life  and  strength  and  joy 
had  been  in  the  love  of  the  Father :  it 
was  only  by  obedience  He  abode  in  it. 
We  may  find  our  life  and  strength  and 
joy  in  His  love  all  the  day,  but  it  is 
only  by  an  obedience  like  His  we  can 
abide  in  it.  Perfect  conformity  to  the 
Vine  is  one  of  the  most  precious  of  the 
lessons  of  the  Branch.  It  was  by  obe- 
dience Christ  as  Vine  honored  the 
Fatlier  as  Husbandman ;  it  is  by  obedi- 
ence the  belicA^er  as  Branch  honors 
Christ  as  Vine. 

Obey  and  abide :  that  was  the  law  of 
Christ's  life  as  much  as  it  is  to  be  that  of 
ours.  He  was  made  like  us  in  all  things, 
that  we  might  be  like  Him  in  all  things. 
He  opened  up  a  path  in  which  we  may 
walk  even  as  He  walked.  He  took  our 
human  nature  to  teach  us  how  to  wear 
it,  and  show  us  how  obedience,  as  it  is  the 
first  duty  of  the  creature,  is  the  only  way 
to  abide  in  the  favor  of  God  and  enter 
into  His  glory.  And  now  He  comes  to 
112 


Ye,  Even  as  I 

instruct  and  encourage  us,  and  asks  us 
to  keep  His  commandments,  even  as  He 
kept  His  Father's  commandments  and 
abides  in  His  love. 

The  Divine  fitness  of  this  connection 
between  obeying  and  abiding,  between 
God's  commandments  and  His  love,  is 
easily  seen.  God's  will  is  the  very  centre 
of  His  Divine  perfection.  As  revealed 
in  His  commandments,  it  opens  up  the 
way  for  the  creature  to  grow  into  the 
likeness  of  the  Creator.  In  accepting 
and  doing  His  will,  I  rise  into  fellow- 
ship with  Himself.  Therefore  it  was 
that  the  Son,  when  coming  into  the 
world,  spoke :  I  come  to  do  Thy  will,  O 
God !  This  was  the  place  and  this 
would  be  the  blessedness  of  the  crea- 
ture. This  was  what  he  had  lost  in  the 
Fall.  This  was  what  Christ  came  to 
restore.  This  is  what,  as  the  Heavenly 
Vine,  He  asks  of  us  and  imparts  to  us, 
that  even  as  He  by  keeping  His  Father's 
commandments,  abode  in  His  love,  we 
113 


The  True  Vine 

should  keep   His   commaudmeuts  and 
abide  in  His  love. 

"  Ye,  even  as  I."  The  Branch  cannot 
bear  fruit  except  as  it  has  exactly  the 
same  life  as  the  Vine.  Our  life  is  to  be 
the  exact  counterpart  of  Christ's  life. 
It  can  be,  just  in  such  measure  as  we 
believe  in  Him  as  the  Vine,  imparting 
Himself  and  His  life  to  His  Branches. 
"Ye,  even  as  I,"  the  Vine  says;  one 
law,  one  nature,  one  fruit.  Do  let  us 
take  from  our  Lord  the  lesson  of  obedi- 
ence as  the  secret  of  abiding.  Let  us 
confess  that  simple,  implicit,  universal 
obedience  has  taken  too  little  the  place 
it  should  have.  Christ  died  for  us  as 
enemies,  when  we  were  disobedient. 
He  took  us  up  into  His  love ;  now  that 
we  are  in  Him,  His  word  is :  Obey  and 
abide ;  ye,  even  as  L  Let  us  give  our- 
selves to  a  willing  and  loving  obedience. 
He  will  keep  us  abiding  in  His  love. 

Ye,  even  as  I.     O  my  Blessed  Vine,  who  makest 
the  Branch  in  everything  partaker  of  Thy  life  and 
114 


Ye,  Even  as  I 

likeness,  in  this  too  I  am  to  be  like  Tbee  •  as  Thy 
life  in  the  Father's  love  through  obedience,  so 
mine  in  Thy  love.  Saviour,  help  me.  that  obedi- 
ence  may  indeed  be  the  link  between  Thee  and 
me. 


115 


23d  Day 


JOY 

THESE  THINGS  HAVE  I  SPOKEN  UNTO 
YOU,  THAT  MY  JOY  MAY  BE  IN  YOU, 
AND   THAT   YOUR   JOY  MAY   BE   FUL- 

EILLED. —  Ver.  xL 

If  any  one  asks  the  question.  How 
can  I  be  a  happy  Christian?  our  Lord's 
answer  is  very  simple :  **  These  things," 
about  the  Vine  and  the  Branches,  "  I 
have  spoken  to  you,  that  My  joy  may 
be  in  you,  and  that  your  joy  may  be 
fulfilled."  You  cannot  have  My  joy 
without  My  life.  Abide  in  Me,  and  let 
Me  abide  in  you,  and  My  joy  will  be  in 
you.  All  healthy  life  is  a  thing  of  joy 
and  beauty ;  live  undividedly  the 
Branch  life ;  you  will  have  His  joy  in 
full  measure. 

116 


Joy 

To  many  Christians  the  thought  of  a 
life  wholly  abiding  in  Christ  is  one 
of  strain  and  painful  effort.  They  can- 
not see  that  the  strain  and  effort  only 
come,  as  long  as  we  do  not  yield  our- 
selves unreservedly  to  the  life  of  Christ 
in  us.  The  very  first  words  of  the 
parable  are  not  yet  opened  up  to  them : 
I  am  the  True  Vine  *,  I  undertake  all 
and  provide  for  all ;  I  ask  nothing  of 
the  Branch  but  that  it  yields  wholly  to 
Me,  and  allows  Me  to  do  all.  I  engage 
to  make  ayid  keep  the  Branch  all  that  it 
ought  to  he.  Ought  it  not  to  be  an  in- 
finite and  unceasing  joy  to  have  the 
Vine  thus  work  all,  and  to  know  that 
it  is  none  less  than  the  Blessed  Son  of 
God  in  His  love  who  is  each  moment 
bearing  us  and  maintaining  our  life  ? 

That  My  joy  may  be  in  you.  We 
are  to  have  Christ's  own  joy  in  us. 
And  what  is  Christ's  own  joy  ?  There 
is  no  joy  like  love.  There  is  no  joy  but 
love.  Christ  had  just  spoken  of  the 
117 


The  True  Vine 

Father's  love  and  His  own  abiding  in  it, 
and  of  His  having  loved  us  with  that 
same  love.  His  joy  is  nothing  but  the 
joy  of  love,  of  being  loved  and  of  Ipv- 
ing.  It  was  the  joy  of  receiving  His 
Father's  love  and  abiding  in  it,  and 
then  the  joy  of  passing  on  that  love 
and  pouring  it  out  on  sinners.  It  is 
this  joy  He  wants  us  to  share :  the  joy 
of  being  loved  of  the  Father  and  of 
Him  ;  the  joy  of  in  our  turn  loving  and 
living  for  those  around  us.  This  is  just 
the  joy  of  being  truly  Branches ;  abid- 
ing in  His  love,  and  then  giving  up  our- 
selves in  love  to  bear  fruit  for  others. 
Let  us  accept  His  life,  as  He  gives  it  in 
us  as  the  Vine,  His  joy  will  be  ours : 
the  joy  of  abiding  in  His  love,  the  joy 
of  loving  like  Him,  of  loving  with  His 
love. 

And  that  your  joy  may  be  ful- 
filled,  may   be    complete,   that  you 
may  be  filled  with   it.     How  sad  that 
we  should  so  need  to  be  reminded  that 
118 


Joy 

as  God  alone  is  the  fountain  of  all  joy, 
"  God  our  exceeding  joy,"  the  only  way 
to  be  perfectly  happy  is  to  have  as  much 
of  God,  as  much  of  His  will  and  fellow- 
ship, as  possible.  Religion  is  meant  to 
be  in  everyday  life  a  thing  of  unspeak- 
able joy.  And  why  do  so  many  com- 
plain that  it  is  not  so  ?  Because  they 
do  not  believe  that  there  is  no  joy  like 
the  joy  of  abiding  in  Christ  and  in  His 
love,  and  being  Branches  through  whom 
He  can  pour  out  His  love  on  a  dying 
world. 

Oh !  that  Christ's  voice  might  reach 
the  heart  of  every  young  Christian,  and 
persuade  them  to  believe  that  His  joy  is 
the  only  true  joy,  that  His  joy  can  become 
ours  and  truly  fill  us,  and  that  the  sure 
and  simple  way  of  living  in  it  is — only 
this,  to  abide  as  Branches  in  Him  our 
Heavenly  Vine.  Let  the  truth  enter 
deep  into  us — as  long  as  our  joy  is  not 
full,  it  is  a  sign  that  we  do  not  yet 
know  our  Heavenly  Vine  aright ;  every 

119 


The  True  Vine 

desire  for  a  fuller  joy  must  only  urge  us 
to  abide  more  simply  and  more  fully  in 
His  love. 

^^y  joy— your  joy.  lu  this  too  it  is :  as  the  Vine, 
so  the  Branch  ;  all  the  Vine  in  the  Branch.  'Thy 
jqr  is  our  joy— Thy  joy  iu  us,  and  our  joy  ful- 
filled. Blessed  Lord !  fill  me  with  Thy  joy— the 
joy  of  being  loved  and  blessed  with  a  Divine 
love  J  the  joy  of  loving  and  blessing  others. 


120 


24th  Day 


LOVE  ONE  ANOTHER 

THIS    IS    MY  COMMANDMENT,   THAT   YE 
LOVE   ONE   ANOTHER. —  Ver.  XU, 

God  is  love.  His  whole  nature  and 
perfection  is  love ;  living  not  for  Him- 
self, but  to  dispense  life  and  blessing. 
In  His  love  He  begat  the  Son,  that 
He  might  give  all  to  Him.  In  His  love 
He  brought  forth  creatures,  that  He 
might  make  them  partakers  of  His 
blessedness. 

Christ  is  the  Son  of  God's  love,  the 
bearer,  the  revealer,  the  communicator 
of  that  love.  His  life  and  death  were 
all  love.  Love  is  His  life,  and  the  life 
He  gives.  He  only  lives  to  love,  to 
live  out  His  life  of  love  in  us,  to  give 

121 


The  True  Vine 

Himself  in  all  who  will  receive  Him. 
The  very  first  thought  of  the  True  Vine 
is  love — living  only  to  impart  His  life  to 
the  branches. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  love. 
He  cannot  impart  Christ's  life  without 
imparting  His  love.  Salvation  is  noth- 
ing but  love  conquering  and  entering 
into  us ;  we  have  just  as  much  of  sal- 
vation as  we  have  of  love.  Full  salva- 
tion is  perfect  love. 

No  wonder  that  Christ  said :  "  A  new 
commandment  I  give  unto  you  :  "  *'  This 
is  My  commandment  " — the  one  all-in- 
clusive commandment — that  ye  love 
one  another.  The  branch  is  not  only 
one  with  the  vine,  but  with  all  its  other 
branches ;  they  drink  one  spirit,  they 
form  one  body,  they  bear  one  fruit. 
Nothing  can  be  more  unnatural  than 
that  Christians  should  not  love  one 
another,  even  as  Christ  loved  them. 
The  life  they  received  from  their  Heav- 
enly Vine  is  nothing  but  love.  This 
122 


Love  One  Another 

is  the  one  thing  He  asks  above  all  oth- 
ers. Hereby  shall  all  men  know  that 
ye  are  my  disciples — love  one  another. 
As  the  special  sort  of  vine  is  known  by 
the  fruit  it  bears,  the  nature  of  the 
Heavenly  Vine  is  to  be  judged  of  by 
the  love  His  disciples  have  to  one 
another. 

See  that  you  obey  this  command- 
ment. Let  your  Obey  and  Abide  be 
seen  in  this.  Love  your  brethren  as 
the  way  to  abide  in  the  love  of  your 
Lord.  Let  your  vow  of  obedience 
begin  here.  Love  one  another.  Let 
your  intercourse  with  the  Christians 
in  your  own  family  be  holy,  tender. 
Christlike  love.  Let  your  thoughts  of 
the  Christians  round  you  be,  before 
everything,  in  the  spirit  of  Christ's  love. 
Let  your  life  and  conduct  be  the  sacri- 
fice of  love — give  yourself  up  to  think 
of  their  sins  or  their  needs,  to  intercede 
for  them,  to  help  and  to  serve  them. 
Be   in  your  church  or  circle  the  em- 

123 


The  True  Vine 

bodiment  of  Cmist's  love.  The  life 
Christ  lives  in  you  is  love;  let  the  life 
in  which  you  live  it  out  be  all  love. 

But,  man,  you  write  as  if  all  this  was 
(30  natural  and  simple  and  easy.  Ts  it 
at  all  possible  thus  to  live  and  thus  to 
love  ?  My  answer  is :  Christ  commands 
it:  you  must  obey.  Christ  means  it: 
you  must  obey,  or  you  cannot  abide  in 
His  love. 

But  I  have  tried  and  failed.  I  see 
no  prospect  of  living  like  Christ.  Ah  ! 
that  is  because  you  have  failed  to  take 
in  the  first  word  of  the  parable — I  am 
the  True  Vine :  I  give  all  you  need  as 
a  Branch,  I  give  all  I  myself  have.  I 
pray  you,  let  the  sense  of  past  failure 
and  present  feebleness  drive  you  to  the 
Vine.  He  is  all  love.  He  loves  to 
give.  He  gives  love.  He  will  teach 
you  to  love,  even  as  He  loved. 

Love  one  another.    Dear  Lord  Jesus  !    Thou  art 
all  love  ;    the  life  Thou  gavest  us  is  love ;  Thy 
new  commandment,  and  Thy  badge  of  disciple- 
124 


Love  One  Another 

ship  is,  Love  one  another.  I  accept  the  charge: 
with  the  love  vrith  v^hich  Thou  lovest  me,  and  I 
love  Thee,  I  will  love  my  brethren. 


125 


25th  Day 


EVEN  AS  I  HAVE  LOVED  YOU 

THIS  IS  MY  COMMANDMENT,  THAT  YE 
LOVE  ONE  ANOTHER,  EVEN  AS  I 
HAVE  LOVED  YOU. —  Ver.  xH, 

This  is  the  second  time  our  Lord 
uses  the  expression — Even  as  I.  The 
first  time  it  was  of  His  relation  to  the 
Father,  keeping  His  commandments, 
and  abiding  in  His  love.  Even  so  we 
are  to  keep  Christ's  commandments, 
and  abide  in  His  love.  The  second 
time  here  He  speaks  of  His  relation  to 
us  as  the  rule  of  our  love  to  our  breth- 
ren :  Love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved 
you.  In  each  case  His  disposition  and 
conduct  is  to  be  the  law  for  ours.  It 
is  again  the  truth  we  have  more  than 
once  insisted  on — perfect  likeness  be- 
tween the  Vine  and  the  Branch. 
126 


Even  as  I  Have  Loved  You 

Even  as  I.  But  is  it  not  a  vain 
thing  to  imagine  that  we  can  keep  His 
commandments,  and  love  the  brethren, 
even  as  He  kept  His  Father's,  and  as 
He  loved  us?  And  must  not  the  at- 
tempt end  in  failure  and  discourage- 
ment? Undoubtedly,  if  we  seek  to 
carry  out  the  injunction  in  our  strength, 
or  without  a  full  apprehension  of  the 
truth  of  the  Vine  and  its  Branches. 
But  if  we  understand  that  the  "  Even 
as  I "  is  just  the  one  great  lesson  of  the 
parable,  the  one  continual  language  of 
the  Vine  to  the  Branch,  we  shall  see 
that  it  is  not  the  question  of  what  we 
feel  able  to  accomplish,  but  of  what 
Christ  is  able  to  work  in  us.  These 
high  and  holy  commands;  Obey,  even 
as  I !  Love,  even  as  I !  are  just  meant 
to  bring  us  to  the  consciousness  of  our 
impotence,  and  through  that  to  waken 
us  up  to  the  need  and  the  beauty  and 
the  sufficiency  of  what  is  provided  for 
us  in  the  Vine.  We  shall  begin  to  hear 
127 


The  True  Vine 

the  Vine  speaking  every  moment  to 
the  Branch:  Even  as  I.  Even  as  I: 
My  life  is  your  life ;  you  have  a  share 
in  all  My  fulness;  the  Spirit  in  you, 
and  the  fruit  that  comes  from  you,  is 
all  just  the  same  as  in  Me.  Be  not 
afraid!  but  let  your  faith  grasp  each 
"  Even  as  I "  as  the  Divine  assurance 
that  because  I  live  in  you,  you  may  and 
can  live  like  Me. 

But  why,  if  this  really  be  the  mean- 
ing of  the  parable,  if  this  really  be  the 
life  a  Branch  may  lead,  why  do  so  few 
realize  it  ?  Because  they  do  not  know 
the  heavenly  mystery  of  the  Vine. 
They  know  much  of  the  parable  and  its 
beautiful  lessons.  But  the  hidden 
spiritual  mystery  of  the  Vine  in  His 
Divine  omnipotence  and  nearness,  bear- 
ing and  supplying  them  all  the  day — 
this  they  do  not  know,  because  they 
have  not  waited  on  God's  Spirit  to  re- 
veal it  to  them. 

"Love  one  another,  even  as  I  have 
128 


Even  as  I  Have  Loved  You 

loved  you."  "Ye,  even  as  I."  How 
are  we  to  begin  if  we  are  really  to  learn 
the  mystery?  With  the  confession 
that  we  need  to  be  brought  to  an  en- 
tirely new  mode  of  life,  because  we 
have  never  yet  known  Christ  as  the 
Vine  in  the  completeness  of  His  quick- 
ening and  transforming  power.  With 
the  surrender  to  be  cleansed  from  all 
that  is  of  self,  and  detached  from  all 
that  is  in  the  world,  to  live  only  and 
wholly  as  Christ  lived  for  the  glory  of 
the  Father.  And  then  with  the  faith 
that  this  "  Even  as  I "  is  in  very  deed 
what  Christ  is  ready  to  make  true,  the 
very  life  the  Vine  will  maintain  in  the 
Branch  wholly  dependent  upon  Him. 

Even  as  I.  Ever  again  it  is,  my  blessed  Lord, 
as  the  Vine,  so  the  Branch.  One  Life,  one  Spirit, 
one  Obedience,  one  Joy,  one  Love. 

Lord  Jesus  !  in  the  faith  that  Thou  art  my  Vine, 
and  that  lam  Thy  Branch,  I  accept  Thy  command 
as  a  promise,  and  take  Thy  Even  as  I  as  the 
simple  revelation  of  what  Thou  dost  work  in  me. 
Yea,  Lord,  as  Thou  hast  loved,  I  will  love, 
129 


26th  Day 


CHRIST'S  FRIENDSHIP: 
ITS  ORIGIN 

GREATER  LOVE  HATH  NO  MAN  THAN 
THIS,  THAT  A  MAN  LAY  DOWN  HIS 
LIFE  FOR  HIS  FRIENDS. —  Ver.  XUl. 

In  the  three  following  verses  our 
Lord  speaks  of  His  relation  to  His  dis- 
ciples under  a  new  aspect — that  of 
friendship.  He  points  us  to  the  love 
in  which  it  on  His  side  has  its  origin 
(ver.  13) ;  to  the  obedience  on  our  part 
by  which  it  is  maintained  (ver.  14);  and 
then  to  the  holy  intimacy  to  which  it 
leads  (ver.  15). 

Our  relation  to  Christ  is  one  of  love. 

In    speaking    of    this    previously,    He 

showed   us   what  His  love   was  in   its 

heavenly   glory;    the   same   love    with 

130 


Christ's  Friendship :    Its  Origin 

which  the  Father  had  loved  Him.  Here 
we  have  it  in  its  earthly  manifesta- 
tion— laying  down  His  life  for  us. 

"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  His  life  for  his 
friends."  Christ  does  indeed  long  to 
have  us  know  that  the  secret  root  and 
strength  of  all  He  is  and  does  for  us  as 
the  Vine,  is  love.  As  we  learn  to  be- 
lieve this,  we  shall  feel  that  here  is 
something  which  we  not  only  need  to 
think  and  know  about,  but  a  living 
power,  a  Divine  life  which  we  need  to 
receive  within  us.  Christ  and  His  love 
are  inseparable ;  they  are  identical. 
God  is  love,  and  Christ  is  love.  God 
and  Christ  and  the  Divine  love  can 
only  be  known  by  having  them,  by  their 
life  and  power  working  within  us. 
*'  This  is  eternal  life^  that  they  know 
Thee ;  "  there  is  no  knowing  God  but 
by  having  the  life ;  tlie  life  working  in 
us  alone  gives  the  knowledge.  And  even 
so  the  love ;  if  we  would  know  it,  we 
131 


The  True  Vine 

must  drink  of  its  living  stream,  we 
must  have  it  shed  forth  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  us. 

"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  give  his  life  for  his  friends." 
The  life  is  the  most  precious  thing  a 
man  has ;  the  life  is  all  he  is ;  the  life 
is  himself.  This  is  the  highest  measure 
of  love :  when  a  man  gives  his  life,  he 
holds  nothing  back,  he  gives  all  he  has 
and  is.  It  is  this  our  Lord  Jesus  wants 
to  make  clear  to  us  concerning  His 
mystery  of  the  Vine ;  with  all  He  has 
He  has  placed  Himself  at  our  disposal. 
He  wants  that  we  should  count  Him 
our  very  own ;  He  wants  to  be  wholly 
our  possession,  that  we  may  be  wholly 
His  possession.  He  gave  His  life  for 
us  in  death  not  merely  as  a  passing  act, 
that  when  accomplished  was  done  with  ; 
no,  but  as  a  making  Himself  ours  for 
eternity.  Life  for  life  ;  He  gave  PI  is 
life  for  us  to  possess  that  we  might  give 
our  life  for  Him  to  possess.     This   is 

1J2 


Christ's  Friendship:    Its  Origin 

what  is  taught  by  the  parable  of  the 
Vine  and  the  Branch,  in  their  wonder- 
ful identification,  in  their  perfect  union. 

It  is  as  we  know  something  of  this, 
not  by  reason  or  imagination,  but  deep 
down  in  the  heart  and  life,  that  we 
shall  begin  to  see  what  ought  to  be  our 
life  as  Branches  of  the  Heavenly  Vine. 
He  gave  Himself  to  death ;  He  lost 
Himself,  that  we  might  find  life  in  Him. 
This  is  the  True  Vine,  who  only  lives 
to  live  in  us.  This  is  the  beginning 
and  the  root  of  that  holy  friendship  to 
which  Christ  invites  us. 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness ! 
Let  us  confess  our  ignorance  and  un- 
belief. Let  us  cease  from  our  own 
understanding  and  our  own  efforts  to 
master  it.  Let  us  wait  for  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  dwells  witliin  us,  to  reveal 
it.  Let  us  trust  His  infinite  love,  which 
gave  its  life  for  us,  to  take  possession 
and  rejoice  in  making  us  wholly  its 
own. 

133 


The  True  Vine 

His  life  for  His  friends.  How  wonderful  the 
lessons  of  the  Vine,  giving  its  very  life  to  its 
Branches.  And  Jesus  gave  His  life  for  His 
friends.  And  that  love  gives  itself  to  them  and 
in  them. — My  Heavenly  Vine,  oh  !  teach  me  how 
wholly  Thou  longest  to  live  in  me. 


134 


/i 


27th  Day 


CHRIST'S    FRIENDSHIP:   ITS 
EVIDENCE 

YE  ARE  MY  FRIENDS,  IF  YE  DO  THE 
THINGS  WHICH  I  COMMAND  YOU. — 
Ver.  xiv. 

Our  Lord  has  said  what  He  gave  as 
proof  of  His  friendship :  He  gave  His 
life  for  us.  He  now  tells  us  what  our 
part  is  to  be — to  do  the  things  which 
He  commands.  He  gave  His  life  to 
secure  a  place  for  His  love  in  our  hearts 
to  rule  us ;  the  response  His  love  calls 
us  to,  and  empowers  us  for,  is  that  we 
do  what  He  commands  us.  As  we 
know  the  dying  love,  we  shall  joyfully 
obey  its  commands.  As  we  obey  the 
commands,  we  shall  know  the  love 
135 


The  True  Vine 

more  fully.  Christ  had  already  said : 
If  ye  keep  My  commandments,  ye  shall 
abide  in  My  love.  He  counts  it  need- 
ful to  repeat  the  truth  again  ;  the  one 
proof  of  our  faith  in  His  love,  the  one 
way  to  abide  in  it,  the  one  mark  of 
being  true  Branches  is — to  do  the 
things  which  He  commands  us.  He 
began  with  absolute  surrender  of  His 
life  for  us.  He  can  ask  nothing  less 
from  us.  This  alone  is  a  life  in  His 
friendship. 

This  truth,  of  the  imperative  necessity 
of  obedience,  doing  all  that  Christ 
commands  us,  has  not  the  place  in  our 
Christian  teaching  and  living  that 
Christ  meant  it  to  have.  We  have 
given  a  far  higher  place  to  privilege 
than  to  duty.  We  have  not  considered 
implicit  obedience  as  a  condition  of 
true  discipleship.  The  secret  thought 
that  it  is  impossible  to  do  the  things 
He  commands  us,  and  that  therefore  it 
cannot  be  expected  of  us,  a  subtle  and 

133 


Christ's  Friendship :    Its  Evidence 

unconscious  feeling  that  sinning  is  a 
necessity,  has  frequently  robbed  both 
precepts  and  promises  of  their  power. 
The  whole  relation  to  Christ  has  be- 
come clouded  and  lowered,  the  waiting 
on  His  teaching,  the  power  to  hear  and 
obey  His  voice,  and  through  obedience 
to  enjoy  His  love  and  friendship,  have 
been  enfeebled  by  the  terrible  mistake. 
Do  let  us  try  and  return  to  the  true 
position,  take  Christ's  words  as  most 
literally  true,  and  make  nothing  less 
the  law  of  our  life :  "Ye  are  my 
friends,  if  ye  do  the  things  that  I  com- 
mand you."  Surely  our  Lord  asks 
nothing  less  than  that  we  heartily  and 
truthfully  say :  Yea,  Lord,  what  Thou 
dost  command,  that  will  I  do. 

These  commands  are  to  be  done  as  a 
proof  of  friendship.  The  power  to  do 
them  rests  entirely  in  the  personal  re- 
lationship to  Jesus.  For  a  friend  I 
could  do  what  I  would  not  for  anotlier. 
The  friendship  of  Jesus  is  so  heavenly 

137 


The  True  Vine 

and  wonderful,  it  comes  to  us  so  as  the 
power  of  a  Divine  love  entering  in  and 
taking  possession,  the  unbroken  fellow- 
ship with  Himself  is  so  essential  to  it, 
that  it  implies  and  imparts  a  joy  and  a 
love  which  make  the  obedience  a  de- 
light. The  liberty  to  claim  the  friend- 
ship of  Jesus,  the  power  to  enjoy  it, 
the  grace  to  prove  it  in  all  its  blessed- 
ness— all  come  as  we  do  the  things  He 
commands  us. 

Is  not  the  one  thing  needful  for  us 
that  we  ask  our  Lord  to  reveal  Himself 
to  us  in  the  dying  love  in  which  He 
proved  Himself  our  friend,  and  then 
Himself  to  say  to  us :  Ye  are  My 
friends.  As  we  see  what  our  Friend 
has  done  for  us,  and  what  an  unspeak- 
able blessedness  it  is  to  have  Him  call 
us  friends,  the  doing  His  commands 
will  become  the  natural  fruit  of  our 
life  in  His  love.  We  shall  not  fear  to 
say;  Yea,  Lord,  we  are  Thy  friends, 
and  do  what  Thou  dost  command  us. 
138 


Christ's  Friendship:    Its  Evidence 

If  ye  do.  Yes,  it  is  in  doing  that  we  are  blest, 
that  we  abide  in  His  love,  that  we  enjoy  His 
friendship.  If  je  do  what  I  command  you !  O 
my  Lord  !  let  Thy  holy  friendship  lead  me  into 
the  love  of  all  Thy  commands,  and  let  the  doiug 
of  Thy  commands  lead  me  ever  deeper  into  Thy 
friendship. 


139 


28th  Day 


CHRIST'S   FRIENDSHIP:    ITS 
INTIMACY 

NO  LONGER  DO  I  CALL  YOU  SERVANTS  ; 
FOR  THE  SERVANT  KNOWETH  NOT 
WHAT  HIS  LORD  DOETH  :  BUT  I  HAVE 
CALLED  YOU  FRIENDS;  FOR  ALL 
THINGS  THAT  I  HEARD  FROM  MY 
FATHER,  I  HAVE  MADE  KNOWN  UNTO 
YOU. —  Ver.  XV. 

The  highest  proof  of  true  friendship, 
and  one  great  source  of  its  blessedness, 
is  the  intimacy  that  holds  nothing  back, 
and  admits  the  friend  to  share  our  in- 
most secrets.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to 
be  Christ's  servant;  His  redeemed  ones 
delight  to  call  themselves  His  slaves. 
Christ  had  often  spoken  of  the  disciples 
as  His  servants.  In  His  great  love, 
our  Lord  now  says :  No  longer  do  I 
140 


Christ's  Friendship :  Its  Intimacy- 
call  you  servants  :  with  the  coming  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  a  new  era  was  to  be  in- 
augurated. "  The  servant  knoweth  not 
what  his  Lord  doeth,"  he  has  to  obey  with- 
out being  consulted  or  admitted  into  the 
secret  of  all  his  master's  plans.  "  But^ 
I  have  called  you  friends,  for  all  things 
I  heard  from  My  Father  I  have  made 
known  unto  you."  Christ's  friends 
share  with  Him  in  all  the  secrets  the 
Father  has  entrusted  to  Him. 

Let  us  think  what  this  means.  When 
Christ  spoke  of  keeping  His  Father's 
commandments,  He  did  not  mean  merely 
what  was  written  in  Holy  Scripture,  but 
those  special  commandments  which  were 
communicated  to  Him  day  by  day,  and 
from  hour  to  hour.  It  was  of  these  He 
said,  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
showeth  Him  all  things  that  He  doeth, 
and  He  will  show  Him  greater  things." 
All  that  Christ  did  was  God's  working. 
God  showed  it  to  Christ,  so  that  He 
carried  out  the  Father's  will  and  pur- 
141 


The  True  Vine 

pose,  not,  as  man  often  does,  blindly 
and  unintelligently,  but  with  full  under- 
standing and  approval.  As  one  who 
stood  in  God's  counsel,  He  knew  God's 
plan. 

And  this  now  is  the  blessedness  of 
being  Christ's  friends,  that  we  do  not, 
as  servants,  do  His  will  without  much 
spiritual  insight  into  its  meaning  and 
aim,  but  are  admitted,  as  an  inner  circle, 
into  some  knowledge  of  God's  more 
secret  thoughts.  From  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost on,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  Christ 
was  to  lead  His  disciples  into  the  spirit- 
ual apprehension  of  the  mysteries  of 
the  kingdom,  of  which  he  had  hitherto 
spoken  only  by  parables. 

Friendship  delights  in  fellowship. 
Friends  hold  council.  Friends  dare 
trust  to  each  other  what  they  would 
not  for  anything  have  others  know. 
What  is  it  that  gives  a  Christian  access 
to  this  holy  intimacy  with  Jesus?  that 
gives  him  the  spiritual  capacity  for  re- 

142 


Christ's  Friendship :  Its  Intimacy 

ceiving  the  communications  Christ  has 
to  make  of  what  the  Father  has  shown 
Him  ?  "  Ye  are  My  friends  if  ye  do 
what  I  command  you^  It  is  loving  obe- 
dience that  purifies  the  soul.  That  re- 
fers not  only  to  the  commandments  of 
the  Word,  but  to  that  blessed  applica- 
tion of  the  Word  to  our  daily  life, 
which  none  but  our  Lord  Himself  can 
give.  But  as  these  are  waited  for  in 
dependence  and  humility,  and  faith- 
fully obeyed,  the  soul  becomes  fitted 
for  ever  closer  fellowship,  and  the  daily 
life  may  become  a  continual  experience: 
"  I  have  called  you  friends ;  for  all 
things  I  have  heard  from  My  Father, 
I  have  made  known  unto  you." 

/  have  called  you  friends.  What  an  unspeakable 
honor!  what  a  heavenly  privilege!  O  Saviour, 
speak  the  word  with  power  into  my  soul :  I  have 
called  you  My  friend,  whom  I  love,  whom  I  trust, 
to  whom  I  make  known  all  that  passes  between 
my  Father  and  Me. 


143 


29th  Day 


ELECTION 

YE  DID  NOT  CHOOSE  ME,  BUT  I  CHOSE 
YOU,  AND  APPOINTED  YOU  THAT 
YE  SHOULD  GO  AND  BEAB  FEUIT. — 

Ver,  xvi. 

The  branch  does  not  choose  the  vine, 
or  decide  on  which  vine  it  will  grow. 
The  vine  brings  forth  the  branch,  as 
and  where  it  will.  Even  so  Christ  says: 
"Ye  did  not  choose  Me,  but  I  chose 
you."  But,  some  will  say,  is  not  just 
this  the  difference  between  the  Branch 
in  the  natural  and  in  the  spiritual  world, 
that  man  has  a  will  and  a  power  of 
choosing,  and  that  it  is  in  virtue  of  his 
liaving  decided  to  accept  Christ,  his  hav- 
ing chosen  Him  as  Lord,  that  he  is  now 
a  Branch  ?     This  is  undoubtedly  true. 

Ii4 


Election 

And  yet  it  is  only  half  a  truth.  The 
lesson  of  the  Vine,  and  the  teaching  of 
our  Lord,  points  to  the  other  half,  the 
deeper,  the  Divine  side  of  our  being  in 
Christ.  If  He  had  not  chosen  us,  we 
had  never  chosen  Him.  Our  choosing 
Him  was  the  result  of  His  choosing  us, 
and  taking  hold  of  us.  In  the  very 
nature  of  things,  it  is  His  prerogative 
as  Vine  to  choose  and  create  His  own 
Branch.  We  owe  all  we  are  to  "  the 
election  of  grace."  If  we  want  to  know 
Christ  as  the  True  Vine,  the  sole  origin 
and  strength  of  the  Branch  life,  and  our- 
selves as  Branches  in  our  absolute,  most 
blessed,  and  most  secure  dependence 
upon  Him,  let  us  drink  deep  of  this 
blessed  truth  i  '*  Ye  did  not  choose  Me, 
but  I  chose  you." 

And  with  what  view  does  Christ  say 
this?  That  they  may  know  what  the 
object  is  for  which  He  chose  them, 
and  find,  in  their  faith  in  His  election, 
the  certainty  of  fulfilling  their  destiny. 

145 


The  True  Vine 

Throughout  Scripture  this  is  the  great 
object  of  the  teaching  of  election.  "  Pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  the  im- 
age of  His  Son "  (to  be  Branches  in 
the  image  and  likeness  of  the  Vine). 
*' Chosen  that  we  should  be  holy." 
*'  Chosen  to  salvation,  through  sanctifi- 
cation  of  the  Spirit."  '*  Elect  in  sancti- 
fication  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience." 
Some  have  abused  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, and  others,  for  fear  of  its  abuse, 
have  rejected  it,  because  they  have  over- 
looked this  teaching.  They  have  occu- 
pied themselves  with  its  hidden  origin 
in  eternity,  with  the  inscrutable  mys- 
teries of  the  counsels  of  God,  instead  of 
accepting  the  revelation  of  its  purpose 
in  time,  and  the  blessings  it  brings  into 
our  Christian  life. 

Just  think  what  these  blessings  are. 
In  our  verse  Christ  reveals  His  two- 
fold purpose  in  choosing  us  to  be  His 
Branches :  that  we  may  bear  fruit  on 
earth,   and   have   power  in  prayer  in 

146 


Election 

heaven.  What  confidence  the  thought 
that  He  has  chosen  us  for  this  gives, 
that  He  will  not  fail  to  fit  us  for  carry- 
ing out  His  purpose  !  What  assurance 
that  we  can  bear  fruit  that  will  abide, 
and  can  pray  so  as  to  obtain !  What  a 
continual  call  to  the  deepest  humility 
and  praise,  to  the  most  entire  depend- 
ence and  expectancy !  He  would  not 
choose  us  for  what  we  are  not  fit  for, 
or  what  He  could  not  fit  us  for.  He 
has  chosen  us;  this  is  the  pledge,  He 
will  do  all  in  us. 

Let  us  listen  in  silence  of  soul  to  our 
Holy  Vine  speaking  to  each  of  us :  You 
did  not  choose  Me!  And  let  us  say, 
Yea,  Lord  !  But  I  chose  you  !  Amen, 
Lord!  Ask  Him  to  show  what  this 
means.  In  Him,  the  True  Vine,  your 
life  as  Branch  has  its  Divine  origin,  its 
eternal  security,  and  the  power  to  fulfil 
His  purpose.  From  Him  to  whose  will 
of  love  you  owe  all,  you  may  expect  all. 
In  Him,  His  purpose,  and  His  power, 

147 


The  True  Vine 

and  His  faithfulness,  in  His  love  let  me 
abide. 

1  chose  you.  Lord !  teach  me  what  this  means 
— that  Thou  hast  set  Thy  heart  on  me,  and  chosen 
me  to  bear  fruit  that  will  abide,  and  to  pray  prayer 
that  will  prevail.  In  this  Thine  eternal  purpose 
my  soul  would  rest  itself  and  say:  What  He 
chose  me  for  I  will  be,  I  can  be,  I  shall  be. 


148 


30th  Day 


ABIDING  FRUIT 

I  CHOSE  YOU,  AND  APPOINTED  YOU, 
THAT  YE  SHOULD  GO  AND  BEAR 
FRUIT,  AND  THAT  YOUR  FRUIT 
SHOULD  ABIDE. —  Ver.  xvi. 

There  are  some  fruits  that  will  not 
keep.  One  sort  of  pears  or  apples  must 
be  used  at  once ;  another  sort  can  be 
kept  over  till  next  year.  So  there  is  in 
Christian  work  some  fruit  that  does  not 
last.  There  may  be  much  that  pleases 
and  edifies,  and  yet  there  is  no  perma- 
nent impression  made  on  the  power  of 
the  world  or  the  state  of  the  Church. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  is  work  that 
leaves  its  mark  for  generations  or  for 
eternity.  In  it  the  power  of  God  makes 
149 


The  True  Vine 

itself  lastingly  felt.  It  is  the  fruit  of 
which  Paul  speaks  when  he  describes 
the  two  styles  of  ministry  :  *'  My  preach- 
ing was  not  in  persuasive  words  of 
wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit  and  of  power;  that  your  faith 
should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men, 
but  in  the  power  of  God."  The  more 
of  man  with  his  wisdom  and  power,  the 
less  of  stability ;  the  more  of  God's 
Spirit,  the  more  of  a  faith  standing  in 
God's  power. 

Fruit  reveals  the  nature  of  the  tree 
from  which  it  comes.  What  is  the 
secret  of  bearing  fruit  that  abides  ? 
The  answer  is  simple.  It  is  as  our  life 
abides  in  Christ,  as  we  abide  in  Him, 
that  the  fruit  we  bear  will  abide.  The 
more  we  allow  all  that  is  of  human  will 
and  effort  to  be  cut  down  short  and 
cleansed  away  by  the  Divine  Husband- 
man, the  more  intensel}"  our  being  with- 
draws itself  from  the  outward  that  God 
may  work  in  us  by  His  Spirit ;  that  is, 

150 


Abiding  Fruit 

the  more  wholly  we  abide  in  Christ,  the 
more  will  our  fruit  abide. 

What  a  blessed  thought !  He  chose 
you,  and  appointed  you  to  bear  fruit, 
and  that  your  fruit  should  abide.  He 
never  meant  one  of  His  Branches  to 
bring  forth  fruit  that  should  not  abide. 
The  deeper  I  enter  into  the  purpose  of 
this  His  electing  grace,  the  surer  my 
confidence  will  become  that  I  can  bring 
forth  fruit  to  eternal  life,  for  myself 
and  others.  The  deeper  I  enter  into 
this  purpose  of  His  electing  love,  the 
more  I  will  realize  what  the  link  is  be- 
tween the  purpose  from  eternity,  and 
the  fruit  to  eternity:  the  abiding  in 
Him.  The  purpose  is  His,  He  will 
carry  it  out ;  the  fruit  is^  His,  He  will 
bring  it  forth ;  the  abiding  is  His,  He 
will  maintain  it. 

Let  every  one  who  professes  to  be  a 
Christian  worker,  pause.  Ask  whether 
you  are  leaving  your  mark  for  eternity 
on  those  around  you.     It  is  not  your 

151 


The  True  Vine 

preaching  or  teaching,  your  strength  of 
will  or  power  to  influence,  that  will 
secure  this.  All  depends  on  having  your 
life  full  of  God  and  His  power.  And 
that  again  depends  upon  your  living 
the  truly  Branch-like  life  of  abiding — 
very  close  and  unbroken  fellowship 
with  Christ.  It  is  the  Branch,  that 
abides  in  Him,  that  brings  forth  much 
fruit,  fruit  that  will  abide. 

Blessed  Lord  !  reveal  to  my  soul,  I 
pray  thee,  that  Thou  hast  chosen  me  to 
bear  much  fruit.  Let  this  be  my  con- 
fidence, that  Thy  purpose  can  be  real- 
ized— Thou  didst  choose  me.  Let  this 
be  my  power  to  forsake  everything  and 
give  myself  to  Thee.  Thou  wilt  Thy- 
self perfect  what  Thou  hast  begun. 
Draw  me  so  to  dwell  in  the  love  and 
the  certainty  of  that  eternal  purpose, 
that  the  power  of  eternity  may  possess 
me,  and  the  fruit  I  bear  may  abide. 

That  ye  may  hear  fruit.     O  my  Heavenly  Vine, 
it  ia  begiiming  to  dawn  npon  my  soul  that  Fruit, 
152 


Abiding  Fruit 

More  fruit — Much  fruit— Abiding  fruit,  is  the 
oue  thing  Thou  hast  to  give  me,  and  the  one 
thing  as  Branch  I  have  to  give  Thee.  Here  I  am. 
Blessed  Lord  !  work  out  Thy  purpose  in  me  ;  let 
me  bear  much  fruit,  abiding  fruit,  to  Thy  glory. 


153 


3 1st  Day 


PREVAILING  PRAYER 

I  APPOINTED  YOU  THAT  YE  SHOULD  GO 
AND  BEAR  FPUIT,  AND  THAT  YOUR 
FRUIT  SHOULD  ABIDE  :  THAT  WHAT- 
SOEVER YE  SHALL  ASK  OF  THE 
FATHER  IN  MY  NAME,  HE  MAY  GIVE 
IT  YOU. —  Ver.  xvi. 

In  the  first  verse  of  our  parable, 
Christ  revealed  Himself  as  the  True 
Vine,  and  the  Father  as  the  Husband- 
man, and  asked  for  Himself  and  the 
Father  a  place  in  the  heart.  Here,  in 
the  closing  verse,  He  sums  up  all  His 
teaching  concerning  Himself  and  the 
Father  in  the  twofold  purpose  for  which 
He  had  chosen  them.  With  reference 
to  Himself,  the  Vine,  the  purpose  was, 

154 


Prevailing  Prayer 

that  they  should  bear  fruit.  With  ref- 
erence to  the  Father,  it  was,  that  what- 
soever they  should  ask  in  His  name, 
should  be  done  of  the  Father  in  heaven. 
As  fruit  is  the  great  proof  of  the  true 
relation  to  Christ,  so  prayer  is  of  our 
relation  to  the  Father.  A  fruitful  abid- 
ing in  the  Son,  and  prevailing  prayer  to 
the  Father,  are  the  two  great  factors  in 
the  true  Christian  life. 

*'  That  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the 
Father  in  My  name.  He  may  give  it 
you."  These  are  the  closing  words  of  the 
j^arable  of  the  Vine.  The  whole  mys- 
tery of  the  Vine  and  its  branches  leads 
up  to  the  other  mystery — that  whatso- 
ever lue  ask  in  His  name  the  Father 
gives  !  See  here  the  reason  of  the  lack 
of  prayer,  and  of  the  lack  of  power  in 
prayer.  It  is  because  we  so  little 
live  the  true  Branch  life,  because  we  so 
little  lose  ourselves  in  the  Vine,  abiding 
in  Him  entirely,  that  we  feel  so  little 
constrained   to   much   prayer,  so  little 

155 


The  True  Vine 

confident  that  we  shall  be  heard,  ajid  so 
do  not  know  how  to  use  His  name  as 
the  key  of  God's  storehouse.  The  Vine 
planted  on  earth  has  reached  up  into 
heaven ;  it  is  only  the  soul  wholly  and 
intensely  abiding  in  it,  can  reach  into 
heaven  with  power  to  prevail  much. 
Our  faith  in  the  teaching  and  the  truth 
of  the  parable,  in  the  truth  and  the  life 
of  the  Vine,  must  prove  itself  by  power 
in  prayer.  The  life  of  abiding  and  obe- 
dience, of  love  and  joy,  of  cleansing 
and  fruit-bearing,  will  surely  lead  to 
the  power  of  prevailing  prayer. 

Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask.  The 
promise  was  given  to  disciples  who 
were  ready  to  give  themselves,  in  the 
likeness  of  the  True  Vine,  for  their 
fellow-men.  This  promise  was  all  their 
provision  for  their  work  ;  they  took  it 
literally,  they  believed  it,  they  used  it, 
and  they  found  it  true.  Let  us  give 
ourselves,  as  Branches  of  the  True 
Vine,  and  in  His  likeness,  to  the  work 

156 


Prevailing  Prayer 

of  saving  men,  of  bringing  forth  fruit 
to  the  glory  of  God,  and  we  shall  find  a 
new  urgency  and  power  to  pray  and  to 
claim  the  Whatsoever  ye  ask.  We  shall 
waken  up  to  our  wonderful  responsibil- 
ity of  having,  in  such  a  promise,  the 
keys  of  the  King*s  storehouses  given  us, 
and  we  shall  not  rest  till  we  have  re- 
ceived bread  and  blessing  for  the  per- 
ishing. 

"  I  chose  you,  that  ye  may  bring 
forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  may 
abide ;  that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of 
the  Father  in  My  name,  He  may  give  it 
to  you."  Beloved  disciple  !  seek  above 
everything  to  be  a  man  of  prayer. 
Here  is  the  highest  exercise  of  your 
privilege  as  a  Branch  of  the  Vine ;  here 
is  the  full  proof  of  your  being  renewed 
in  the  image  of  God  and  His  Son  ;  here 
is  your  power  to  show  how  you,  like 
Christ,  live  not  for  yourself,  but  for 
others ;  here  you  enter  heaven  to  re- 
ceive gifts  for  men ;  here  your  abiding 

157 


The  True  Vine 

in  Christ  has  led  to  His  abiding  in  you, 
to  use  you  as  the  channel  and  ilistru- 
ment  of  His  grace.  The  power  to  bear 
fruit  for  men  has  been  crowned  by 
power  to  prevail  with  God. 

"  I  am  the  Vine,  My  Father  is  the 
Husbandman."  Christ's  work  in  you 
is  to  bring  you  so  to  the  Father  that 
His  word  may  be  fulfilled  in  you :  "  At 
that  day  ye  shall  ask  in  My  name  ;  and 
I  say  not  that  I  will  pray  the  Father 
for  you  ;  for  the  Father  Himself  loveth 
you."  The  power  of  direct  access  to  the 
Father  for  men^  the  liberty  of  intercession 
claiming  and  receiving  blessing  for  them 
in  faith^  is  the  highest  exercise  of  our 
union  with  Christ.  Let  all  who  would 
truly  and  fully  be  Branches,  give  them- 
selves to  the  work  of  intercession.  It 
is  the  one  great  work  of  Christ  the 
Vine  in  heaven,  the  source  of  power  for 
all  His  work.  Make  it  your  one  great 
work  as  Branch  :  it  will  be  the  power 
of  all  your  work. 

158 


Prevailing  Prayer 


In  My  name.  Yes,  Lord !  in  Thy  name,  the 
new  name  Thou  hast  given  Thyself  here,  the 
True  Vine.  As  a  Branch,  abiding  in  Thee  in  en- 
tire devotion,  in  full  dependence,  in  perfect  con- 
formity, in  abiding  fruitfulness,  I  come  to  the 
Father,  in  Thee,  and  He  will  give  what  I  ask. 
Oh !  let  my  life  be  one  of  unceasing  and  prevail- 
ing intercession. 


159 


-miniiiji 


DATE  DUE 


nar  y^;  mt 


-JijMfltBliWBtBSE- 


GAVL.ORD 


PRINTED  IN  U.S.A. 


BS2615.M981 

The  true  vine;  meditations  for  a  month 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00013  7101 


